Bilabiri Dismisses Report Of Harbouring Militias, Gives Authors 7-Day To Retract, Apologise

By Osaro Michael, Benin

Following a purported alarms by what it refers to as trouble makers creating undue tension, the Bilabiri 1 community in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State has denied online publication dated 24th September, 2024, alleging that the community is harbouring militia youths.

According to the community leadership after a town hall meeting said the community is peaceful and the public should disregard fifth columnists and trouble makers who are looking for cheap attention.

The community has further issued a seven days ultimatum to the authors of the alleged scandalous and defamatory publication, Mr lucky Tubotu and Prince Yerin Johnbo to retract it and apologise to Ebimene Abaka, Tekenane Abaka and Bright Wilson Esopi, noting that the publication was a calculated attempt to call the cart a bad name in order to hang it.

The community leadership called on the security agents to immediately arrest Mr lucky Tubotu and Prince Yerin Johnbo, the alleged authors of the malicious publication and warned them to retract and apologise for their wrongful action.

This was contained in an alleged joint statement by HRH SOJA DEDE, ABIODUN COMMANDER ( DEPUTY HIGHNESS), HIGH CHIEF FRIDAY GELU, HIGH CHIEF ESAU OLUMOFA, MR DOUGLASS AARON( YOUTH PRESIDENT), PST EBIKE ADAM (SECRETARY) AND MRS EBITEI LUCKY( WOMEN LEADER).

The community report reads, “It is a known fact that indeed Frank B. Seide died as a result of the chairmanship dispute, however, after the said ugly event, High Chief Oweizide Government Ekpemupolo (Tompolo, G.O.C), the custodian of Ijaw custom and tradition called and resolved the said dispute between the two families and the community at large.

“It will also interest you to know that, since after the said peace Accord, the community has been peaceful with several laws put in place to guide the community and its citizens. We were in total shock when we saw a joint publication made by one Lucky Tubotu and Prince Yerin Johnbo, calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Douye Diri, JTF and Nigeria Police Force with false allegations to invade our community.

“There has never been a day Lucky Tubotu and his sponsors called for a meeting to brief the community of any differences between him, his sponsors and the Abaka family, hence we hereby unanimously fault this purported falsehoold birthed by Lucky and his brother as Bilabiri 1 community is enjoying peace to its fullest.

“They claimed that, members of the Bilabiri 1 community have run away from the community for their safety, this is a total falsehood from the pit of hell as all members of the community are intact, praying to God for the execution of the PIA to enable us have job opportunities.

“Mr lucky further claimed under falsehood that, armed militias have taken over Bilabiri 1 community, this is a big blow and slap on our community as there is no single armed militia in our beloved community, the state Bayelsa State Government can send spy to our community for proper investigation although we don’t know if Ebimene and Yerin have internal crisis which they are not telling the community.

‘The general public should take note that, it is not true that people are selling hard drugs or addicting underage children in our community. We have a law forbidding the selling of hard drugs in our community and its punishment or fine is #50, 000( fifty thousand Naira) for anyone caught for selling or taking hard drugs talk less of addicting underage. We prohibit walking on the streets of Bilabiri while smoking cigarettes as well.

“That there are 5(five) civil Defence officers in our community peacefully carrying out their duties working with Tantita security surveillance personnels and if the government is so interested in making proper investigation, we call on the Government to also inquire from the officials to ascertain voracity.

“Lucky Tubotu is our son maternally and our inviting him to come so he can also benefit from his maternal home is now a wrong thing we have done. Bilabiri people are in big shock in seeing young boys like lucky indulging in such acts.

“To this end, we boldly state, demand and warn that, Mr lucky Tubotu and his sponsors and all media organizations they so hired within 7 (seven) working days withdraw their publication and tender unreserved apology to our community and all persons he so mentioned in the malicious publication which is capable of turning our community into desert if not properly handled as the military no longer does proper investigation before carrying out operations. We equally call and demand for immediate arrest of Lucky Tubotu and his cohorts for criminal libel.

The general public should also disregard this unguided publication”, the community added.