The development has triggered outrage from local leaders, who say the situation has spiralled beyond the control of community-based security outfit
Residents of several communities in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State are facing a wave of violence following what has been described as a coordinated takeover of forest areas by heavily armed terrorist
The development has triggered outrage from local leaders, who say the situation has spiralled beyond the control of community-based security outfit
While speaking during press conference on Thursday, the President-General of Ogbakor Ikwerre Cultural Organisation Worldwide, Godspower Onuekwa, condemned what he called the “illegal occupation” of forests across multiple communities, including Igbo, Igurita, Omagwa and Omadem
Onuekwa said the armed groups, allegedly operating in large numbers and wielding sophisticated weapons, have unleashed sustained attacks on residents, engaging in killings and kidnappings while forcing locals to live in constant fea
He noted that the affected communities are strategically significant as host areas to the Port Harcourt International Airport, warning that the deteriorating security situation poses broader risks beyond the immediate localitie
“These bandits have made life unbearable for our people,” Onuekwa said, accusing security agencies of failing to respond decisively to the growing threa
Providing details of a recent attack, he disclosed that on April 8, 2026, the gunmen stormed Igbo community, where they abducted a couple during a violent raid
According to him, attempts by local vigilante members to repel the attackers proved futile, as the assailants, said to be over 200 in number, overpowered them with superior firepowe
In the process, the attackers also abducted the head of the local vigilante group, identified simply as Mr. Collin
The incident is what community leaders describe as a dangerous escalation, with local security structures increasingly unable to withstand the scale and sophistication of the armed group
Onuekwa called on the federal and Rivers State governments to urgently deploy security forces to reclaim the occupied forests and restore safety to affected communities.
