Indigenes of Bille Kingdom in Degema Local Council of Rivers State have demanded from the Nigerian Army 6 Division, Port Harcourt, an official statement on the whereabouts of the Amayanabo of Bille Kingdom, allegedly whisked away from the king’s palace, alongside three of their sons, including Damiete Alabo, a personal aide to the king on September 6, 2022.

Spokesperson for the Bille Kingdom Chiefs Council, Chief Boma Dappa, who made the call in an interview with The Guardian, said the military has only released three persons that were taken away during the invasion, while Alabo is still in their custody.

Dappa expressed concerns that the family and entire Bille Kingdom are worried about their son’s state, while demanding the release of his body if he had been killed through torture.

Dappa said: “We have made a concerted effort to see the boy but till now we have not been able to get in touch.

“The Army refused to come out with an official statement because they told us that they have released all of them, but we only saw just three of them while they picked four of our youths on that day.

“His name is Damiete Alabo, he is a personal aide to the King. We have made concerted effort to dialogue with them to know his whereabouts because they were tortured. So, we do not know if they took him to the hospital, till now they have not come up with an official statement.

“As a community, we try to contact them as we are still waiting for the Military authority to come up with an official statement. Whatever has happened to him, if he is still in their custody, they should let us know the reason they released three and left him behind. If he is sick or dead in the course of the torture they should also tell us and perhaps give us the body to bury.”

Recall that on September 6, 2022, some soldiers allegedly invaded the community, sacked residents and whisked some youths away.

It was gathered that they were on reprisal attack for soldiers allegedly killed around Bille territory by suspected sea pirates that terrorised the area.

Although, spokesperson for 6 Division of Nigeria Army, Port Harcourt, Major Iweha Ikedichi, said the men were on a search operation to track and recover stolen arms by perpetrators of the crime, the community alleged that the military was yet to make an official statement on the matter.

Contacted, Major Ikedichi, said he was on an official assignment in another part of the state, but assured that he will find out about the community’s claims and revert. (The Guardian)

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