Residents of Bille, a community in the Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State, have fled their homes after soldiers invaded the community over the killing of some soldiers by suspected pirates.
NOHR learned that dozens of soldiers stormed the community after suspected pirates killed some military men in the community and carted away their weapons.
However, the leaders of Bille Kingdom in a press conference held in Port Harcourt, Rivers state condemned the incessant invasions, arrests, and brutal treatment meted out on Bille people by the Nigerian Military.
Speaking through the Chairman of the Bille Kingdom Council of Chiefs, Chief Bennett Okpoki, they also condemned the attack on a Bille passenger boat on Friday, 2nd September 2022, which left one Mr. Impapamieari Igani dead and several others inflicted with gunshot wounds by gunmen suspected to be sea pirates.
While dismissing the claims by the military that the Bille people attacked its personnel, he noted that Bille kingdom cannot be victims of pirate attacks and at the same time be attacking military officers.
He called for an urgent intervention of the Federal and State government to curb the frequent sea pirate activities on Bille waterways, as well as release those arrested by the military.
“Bille Kingdom is under siege by the Nigerian military. As early as 7.00 am this Tuesday morning, there were serious gunshots by the military. The palace of the Amayanabo of Bille was also invaded and the king His Royal Majesty I.N.C Herbert and his Aide, Mr. Damiete Alabo were whisked away by the military, the Army later released the king but left with the personal aide in the company of several others that were arrested. Till this moment, their whereabouts are unknown.
“It was rumored that after the pirates attack the Bille passenger-boat on Friday as earlier stated, there was another clash between some men in military uniform believed to be security operatives and some unidentified gunmen whom we suspect to be the same sea pirates that earlier attacked the Bille passenger boat.
“On Sunday, 3rd September 2022, men and officers of the Nigerian Army stormed Touma, a community in Bille kingdom alleging that Bille people are responsible for the attack on the military personnel on the sea and arrested Ibiba Macdonald and Alawari Alemebo together with a double engine boat.
“Today 6 September 2022, dozens of soldiers believed to be of the Nigerian Army stormed Bille Town, Headquarters of the Blue Kingdom in many gunboats, broke into houses, shooting sporadically, and many persons injured, alleging that Bille people are responsible for the reported clash with the supposed men in Military uniform. Upon that the King, Amayanabo of Belle kingdom was ordered to produce the suspects within 48 hours.
“The Bille people are law-abiding citizens and have been living in harmony with the 29 tactical battalions of the Nigerian Army.
“The Bille people did not and cannot carry out any unlawful attack on the Military. Bille has nothing to do with and had no part in the alleged clash between the suspected pirates and the uniformed men.
“It is, therefore, worrisome that the Army could give a 48hours ultimatum to our King Amayanabo of Bille to produce the suspected attackers and the arms used in committing the crime.
“We worry that for the past 3 years, Bille has suffered untold hardship on account of sea pirates attack and little or nothing has been done by our government. As law-abiding citizens, we reiterate that if any perceived criminal in the community is connected to the alleged attack on military personnel, the law should take its course.
“We cannot be victims to pirates attack and at the same time, suspected to have attacked military personnel we have had a harmonious relationship with over the years. We strongly suspect that the pirates who attacked our boats and killed Impapamieari Igani (A.K.A Pepekale) must be the same people responsible for the attack on the military personnel. The Bille people are completely innocent of this allegation”.
“We reported so many pirate attacks incidence to the media, we have lost so many of our wives, daughters, and sons, we have cried out severally. The Rivers state government tried its best by directing the Rivers State House Assembly to see how the attacks will be curbed which they did to an extent and abandoned it.
“I led a delegation of Bille Chief Council to the Deputy Governor of Rivers State where she told us that His Excellency Governor Nyesom Wike has provided ten Gunboats, and we pleaded for two or three of the gunboat to be sent to our waterways and we didn’t see anything, that is where we have found ourselves.
“As a kingdom, we have been trying our best to provide security for ourselves, but it is capital intensive because we fund it from our hard-earned money”.
The kingdom Public Relation Officer, Chief Boma Dappa, said four Bille sons have been arrested and whisked away to an unknown destination by the Nigerian Army, stressing that the attacks and invasion were immediately reported to the appropriate authority.
Contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, said she was yet to receive a report of the incident.
The Punch Newspaper had reported that when its correspondent contacted the spokesperson for the 6 Division, Nigeria Army, Port Harcourt, Major Iweha Ikedichi, he said the soldiers were in the community for an operation.
“Troops conducted an operation in the general area of Bille in response to the killing of soldiers in and around that community last week.
“The operation is consequent upon that and targeted at arresting perpetrators and recovering the stolen weapons of the troops that were killed. The operation will continue following actionable intelligence as we receive.”
