HeadlineDelta: Two Feared Dead, Many Injured As Attempt To Hijack Vessel Backfires

Delta: Two Feared Dead, Many Injured As Attempt To Hijack Vessel Backfires

BEVERLY HILLS, CA, May 03, (THEWILL) – An attempt by a group of ‘militia’ youths loyal to one of the factions in Ugborodo community in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State, to hijack a vessel suspected to belong to one of the key actors in the community has triggered a fresh crisis.

Two persons were said to have been killed in the renewed crisis in which several others, including an Ijaw businessman who reportedly turned out to be the owner of the vessel, were hospitalised.

Four persons have however been arrested over the incident and are helping security agents with relevant information that could help unravel the remote cause of the crisis.

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The renewed crisis came barely three weeks after leaders of warring factions in the community signed a peace agreement with the Federal Government during a meeting with both factions in Abuja .

Local sources said trouble started on Thursday after some group of ‘boys’ loyal to a faction which ‘hold sway’ in the community allegedly waylaid a ship which was being escorted from Ogidigben to Warri.

The attackers were said to have mercilessly beaten up the crew members of the vessel believing they were loyalists of a rival faction largely controlled by one Chief Thomas Ereyitomi but the owner of the vessel turned out to be an Ijaw man.

THEWILL learnt that the man simply identified as one Roland was macheted to a point of death before he was rescued by some ‘boys’ who were said to have engaged the attackers in a scuffle.

In the ensuring confrontation between both factions, sources alleged that two persons whose identity have not be established were feared killed while several others sustained gun shot wounds.

A Toyota Hilux van belonging to one Chief Ayiri Emami’s 911 Club located in Escravos was allegedly burnt by the attackers who reportedly attempted to invade the premises of the Club house.

THEWILL learnt that if not for the prompt intervention of the combined team of the Navy and Army who were alerted and moved to quell the crisis, the situation would have been more deadly as the ‘boys’ allegedly loyal to the Hon David Tonwe’s faction were said to be preparing themselves to wreak more havoc in the area.

It was not immediately clear whether the fresh attack was connected to the leadership tussle in the area over the $16billion Export Processing Zone (EPZ) project but a source said that despite the peace deal agreed upon in Abuja by both parties to the crisis, there is still much grievance and hatred in the area.

When contacted on the incident, the Commanding Officer, Nigeria Navy Ship, NNS, Delta, Capt. Musa Gemu, who confirmed the incident, said the disturbance in Ugborodo had nothing to do with the EPZ project or communal tussle in the area.

He said that it was a fallout of some youths who had tried to attacked a ship in the area but the attempt was foiled by the intervention of security agencies.

“It is not true that anybody died. And get it clear that the incident is not related to any communal crisis or the project in the area.

“What happened was a case of missing ship. And when those who missed the ship were returning, some persons attacked them.

“There were some attacking and others defending, but the Navy and the Army came promptly and the situation has been brought under control and further being monitored. I think about four persons have been arrested,” Captain Gemu said.

Meanwhile, a youth leader who gave another version of the incident, accused a factions of mobilising mercenaries to invade Madangho in one Toyota Hilux and a bus.

He alleged that the mercenaries had engaged the community youths in a bloody clash involving dangerous weapons.

“The same boys who had invaded Ajudaibo and Oginibo before the Federal Government’s peace accord were mobilised to attack perceived opponents at Madangho, but the community youths resisted and that was how it got bloody for many hours from morning on Thursday,” he said.

According to him, “The resistant Madangho youths pushed them to a point between Madangho and Ajudaibo before you get to Shell beach.

“Two persons were killed as I speak to you and properties were destroyed. The Navy and the Army at Escravos are aware and they arrested some persons.”

Meanwhile, hundreds of women on Friday protested the arrest by the Navy, saying those arrested were innocent of the crime.

The protesters accused a faction in the Ugborodo crisis of being behind the renewed attack.

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