LAGOS NOVEMBER 10TH (URHCousin to Delta Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Stalwart Chief Emami Ayiri and Ugborodo National Youth Financial Secretary, Comrade Besidone Eyengho {Alias-Kiki) has denied ever being part of the recent crisis rocking Ugborodo community or shootings which were reported resulted in the death of a member of vigilante, with several others sustaining various degree of injuries.
It was reported recently that fresh crisis erupted in Itsekiri community of Ogborodo in which some aggrieved group attacked members of vigilante group assigned to protect the waterways from the activities of oil thieves. During the attack, a member of the vigilante group simply identified as Sunny was allegedly killed, while other members of the group received various decree of injuries from gun shots. The report had it that the corpse of the murdered Sunny was yet to be seen. Some indigenes of Ugborodo community fingered Besidone Eyengho and his gang as responsible for the unfortunate incident.
Reacting to the allegations making the round on the said crisis in the community which occurred in the early hours of Wednesday 6th November, Comrade Besidone Eyengho who claimed he was innocent of the allegation leveled against him said it was preposterous for anyone to link him to an unsubstantiated incident that cannot be verified by the Ugborodo Community and the security agents.
He ascribed the renewed crisis rocking Ugborodo Community in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State to quest by sea pirates to regain dominance of the water ways after they have been chased out of the area by security agencies put in place by the Federal and State Government.
He accused the Chief Priest of Ogborodo Community, Dube Omadele (Olaja-Orire} who accused him of having masterminded the shooting and killing in an interview he granted to the media of conspiring with illegal oil bunkers to perpetuate their illicit acts because he gets financial gratifications from these illegal bunkers.
“It is a taboo for the spiritual head {Olaja-Orire} to be involved in such activities. According to the report, I was fingered to have killed somebody with blood stains in a boat in a picture that accompanied the story. I make bold to say that their claims are barbaric and lack evidence. Otherwise, with all these allegations, I asked, if we actually killed anyone, why didn’t they go to the security agencies to lodge such complaints? Where is the family of the said person that was killed?” Eyengho who is also a former PRO, National Association of Itsekiri Graduate (NAIG) asked, adding that the crux of the matter is actually a fallout of the leadership tussle that has been rocking the community between Hon Thomas Ereyitomi and Hon David Tonwe.
He said the primary objective of the allegations against him and his group is to frustrate their efforts as National Youth Executive of Ugborodo Community from making the villages conducive for people to reside and for businesses to thrive.
On the supposed vigilante that was said to be guiding the community water ways as reported in the media, he said, “There is no vigilante of such recognized by the Ugborodo Community Trust or the National Youth Executive in the community. The security outfit recognized in the community is the Delta State Waterways Security Committee set up by His Excellency, the executive Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan which work in conjunction with the Nigerian Army, Navy, and the Marine Police. Anything short of this is criminal, as the government did not empower any person or group of persons to man the waterways.”
Two days l after the allegations, he told our correspondent that he was invited to interfere in the arrest of some persons at the jetty by the community youth leader.
“ If I was a criminal as the chief priest painted me in the media, would they have invited me to inferfere. We took the suspects to the main community for interrogation after we had called the head of the security agents in the area. Prior to my arrival, one of them identified himself as army personnel, saying they are in the community for surveillance.
“At a close scrutiny of his indentification card ( ID}, I observed it was an Army Officers Mess ID card. So, I told him that this does not make you an army officer, hence you are impersonating for reasons best known to you. For that reason, we are handing you over to the JTF. On discovery this, I called the Warri Police Command and the Army Captain simply identified as Captain Ahmed who is in charge of that part of the river and they asked us to hand them over to the JTF in the area,” he said.
Speaking on the report, President of Delta State Oil Producing Community Graduate Association (DESPOGA), Comrade Agbefe Sebastine regarded the allegation as malicious and a slight on the person of Eyengho who he referred to as an individual who has distinguished himself in all ramifications as a law abiding Deltan.
“I would like them to know and realise that the name which they are trying to smear has served in the capacity as Senate President of the National Association of Delta State Students (NADESTU), President, National Association of Itsekiri Students (NAIS) and a devoted advocate for peaceful coexistence among Deltans irrespective of ethnic affiliation.
“He is a Graduate of Chemistry, has a Masters Degree in Business Administration and a presently a Masters Degree student in Environmental Chemistry in the prestigious University of Benin.
“He is also a member of the Chemical Society of Nigeria (CSN), America Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria (ISPON) and others too numerous to mention.
“He is an industrialist with over 250 staff, a philanthropist and an emerging captain of ‘Hope’ for the average youth of today, with all pride, I make bold to say he is one of our own,” he stated.