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KOGI INDIGENES ATTACK ANAMBRA COMMUNITY * KILL 9 * DESTROYED N1B ORIENT PETROLUEM FACILITIES * ABDUCT 7
Indigenes of Odeke in Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi State attacked the people of Enugu-Otu Ahuleri East Local Government Area of Anambra State killing nine persons, burnt facilities of orient Petroleum estimated at one billion naira and abducted seven persons.
It was learnt that the attackers launched the attack at the Orient Petroleum located ten kilometers away from the abode of the people of Enugu-Otu Aguleri which gave them the lee way to successfully carry out their bad mission without being repelled by the community.
According to the President General of the community chief Edwin Chukwuemeka, the attackers were able to know the exact location of the Orient Petroleum and the security arrangement of the area through the information they received from some agents in the area which he said have remained faceless adding that the army and the mobile police who he said were deployed to guard the oil facilities and the workers suddenly disappeared from the area in what he described as sinister circumstances and few minutes after they had vanished from the area, the Kogi indigenes who he said acted on prompt information descended heavily on the place shooting pleasurably as long as the barrel of their guns could speak. They set ablaze many buildings, burnt the major electricity generators, eleven vehicles including tractors, blew up oil pipe lines and destroyed many other costly oil facilities.
Chief Chukwuemeka who was visibly perturbed revealed that when the community members noticed the on going pillage by the Kogi Indigenes, they quickly mobilized men who trotted to the scene but on getting there, the attackers had fled leaving behind the flaming facilities.
He said that when they took a census of those killed, they found out that nine persons who were not indigenes of Enugu-Otu Aguleri working in Orient Petroleum were killed, seventeen persons who were not from the community were seriously injured, seven persons who were also not from the community were abducted while the estimated facilities destroyed by the Kogi invaders were put at one billion naira.
Asked on what the community plans to do against the attackers, the community leader who punctured his angry statements (may be he didn’t want to reveal their plan) said; what will you do to a person who came to your house and destroyed your belongings when you were not close to the spot? Will you give him an outstanding ovation? He quipped.
He however said that the Anambra State Governor Dr. Willie Obiano who is from the area has appealed to them especially the youths not to go against the Kogi indigenes as the Anambra State government has closed ranks with the kogi State Government to settle the matter amicably without further shedding of human blood and destruction of hard earned properties.
Frowning at the ugly incident, one of the youth leaders in Aguleri Mr. Chinasa John Ikeli has described the attack against his people by the Kogi Indigenes as barbaric and unfortunate adding that the people of Kogi should not push his people to the wall nor take them as granted because they have decided to toe the part of peace to resolve issues with them (Kogi people).
Ikeli who is also the national secretary of Defence for Democracy, Justice and Good Governance urged the Kogi State government to caution and call its people to order to join foster peace and development as according to him the Buhari led administration is poised and well positioned to promote peace, justice and good governance in the country hence all and sundry should join hands with the president to realize his good objectives for the nation instead of instigating war and distraction to his fledging administration.
He called on the Kogi indigenes to desist from raising arms against his people but should demonstrate patience as the Federal Government is making frantic efforts to resolve the dispute which has lingered between both parties.
It would be recalled that in 2010, the former president of Nigeria Dr. Good luck Jonathan commissioned Orient Petroleum in Enugu-Otu Aguleri Anambra State which made Anambra to become one of the oil producing states in Nigeria. But the development did not augur well with the people of Odeke in Kogi State who have been claiming the ownership of the land in which the oil was discovered in Enugu-Otu Aguleri.
The people of Kogi State had since the commission of the Orient Petroleum by the former president launched series of attacks against the people of Enugu-Otu Aguleri in Anambra State.
