By Myke Uzendu, Abuja
The President of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Amb. Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo, has called for an investigation into the deaths of 10 persons at Robertkiri along the Kula waterways in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Sukubo, a prominent stakeholder in Kula Kingdom, also announced plans for a 21-day protest involving 51,000 youths to demand justice for the victims and their families.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, he urged Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, to establish an investigative panel to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident, reportedly linked to a confrontation involving members of host communities and an oil vessel.
Sukubo alleged that the incident occurred amid unresolved disagreements between members of the affected communities and the Ibeto Group over the movement of its crude oil vessel, Anambra Basin, out of the area.
He said two tugboats, identified as Delta Runner and Laura-V, were also involved in the incident.
According to him, the deceased were members of satellite communities and fishing settlements in Kula who had raised concerns over pollution of waterways, fishing ports and creeks, compliance with host-community provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act, and outstanding payments to local vendors.
The NYCN president called on the Federal Government, relevant ministries and human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, to intervene and ensure that the grievances of the affected communities were addressed.
“We appeal to His Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, to set up a panel to investigate this matter,” he said.
Sukubo said the proposed protest would begin next week and involve youths mobilising to demand accountability over the deaths.
“We shall embark on a 21-day protest, starting from next week, involving 51,000 youths to demand justice for the deceased and their families,” he stated.
He said the planned demonstrations would include a march to the Port Harcourt residence of the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Ibeto Group, Chief Cletus Ibeto, as well as protests at the group’s businesses in Rivers State.
According to Sukubo, the action is intended to draw attention to the deaths and the concerns raised by the affected communities.
He urged all parties to cooperate with any investigation and called for a transparent process to establish what happened.
The NYCN president also stressed the need for justice for the victims’ families and measures to address the concerns of host communities.
Meanwhile, Max Shipping Services Limited, the owner of Anambra Basin FSO, has denied the involvement of its chairman, Chief Cletus Ibeto, in the reported incidents.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, signed by its legal officer, Ikeh Chidimma Sylvia, the company said Ibeto did not authorise the deployment of armed personnel to confront the protesters.
The company explained that its involvement was limited to retrieving its vessel, which had been hired to Menal Technical Services Limited under a Marine Equipment Hire Agreement dated September 20, 2024, and subsequently amended through an addendum.
The incident reportedly occurred last Tuesday at OML-55, where at least 10 people were feared dead after a boat allegedly capsized during a confrontation over an oil spill in the community.
The circumstances surrounding the deaths, the alleged confrontation and the claims made by the affected communities remain matters requiring independent investigation.
