Kula Community Seizes Oil Vessel, 2 Tugboats Linked To Boat Mishap That Killed 10 In Rivers

The people of Kula community in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State have seized an oil vessel and two tugboats linked to a boat mishap that claimed at least 10 lives in the area.

The tugboats, identified as Delta Runner and Lorra Five, were seized as investigations into the incident, which occurred last Tuesday around the Robertkiri axis of the coastal community, continued.

Two boat captains were also reportedly arrested by the police.

The seizure came after the recovery of the last two bodies of victims of the mishap, according to the leader of the search and rescue team, Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo.

Sukubo, who is also president of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), alleged that the incident was not an accident but a deliberate act orchestrated by the Ibeo Group.

He claimed that the group’s founder had earlier threatened to deal with anyone who attempted to disrupt activities on the waterways or prevent the company from moving its vessel, MV Anambra Basin, out of the Oceania community.

At least 10 people died after their boat reportedly capsized during a confrontation over an oil spill at OML-55 in Kula community.

The incident reportedly followed a protest by community members over alleged unpaid royalties, outstanding vendor payments and environmental pollution. The protesters were said to have blocked the movement of MT Anambra Basin, operated by the Ibeto Group.

However, Max Shipping Services Limited, the owner of the oil vessel, has denied the involvement of its chairman, Chief Cletus Ibeto, in the incident.

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has vowed that his administration would establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths and ensure that anyone found culpable faces the law.

Fubara gave the assurance on Thursday at Government House, Port Harcourt, while addressing members of the Kula community who staged a peaceful protest over the incident.

Represented by his Chief of Staff, Sunny Ewule, the governor sympathised with the bereaved families and urged the community to remain calm and avoid taking the law into its own hands.

“We want to sympathise with the Kula Community and the bereaved families.

“Anybody who is involved in this incident or found culpable for whatever happened, will definitely pay for it according to the law. We are not going to sit by and allow Rivers indigenes go through this type of unnecessary death,” he said.

Earlier, the leader of the Kula community delegation, High Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, said they visited the Government House to formally report the incident and seek the state’s intervention.

“It is proper we inform him (Fubara) because we don’t want to take the laws into our hands. We have the capacity to react but in we don’t want to react,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Command has confirmed that it is investigating the incident.

The command’s spokesperson, Assistant Superintendent of Police Blessing Agabe, said the police were aware of the incident in Kula Kingdom, Akuku-Toru Local Government Area, which reportedly resulted in loss of lives.

“Investigation is ongoing to ascertain the exact number of casualties and the circumstances surrounding the incident,” Agabe told journalists in Port Harcourt.