A prominent Ogoni monarch from Ken Saro-Wiwa’s area has just survived a gun attack believed to be an assassination attempt.
Suanu T.Y. Baridam, a first-class king from the Bengha kingdom, was shot at around Okwale town on his way from Gokana local council area by unknown gunmen. He is said to be recovering in an undisclosed medical centre in the area.
According to L. C Micah, a professor and titled man in Bengha, who is spokesperson to the monarch, the Kasimene VII, who had escaped an earlier assassination attempt one year earlier at Agbonchia in Eleme LGA, faced the bullet again Sunday afternoon along Okwale – Taabaa Road.
The statement said the king was ambushed and struck forcibly in the thigh and that he suffered severe blood loss.
“This is a dastardly crime against a monarch merely performing his traditional and constitutional duties to maintain peace within his domain.
“We are aware from the outset that the attack was an isolated case, an assassination attempt that stirred cries of conspiracy. The conspiracy theory is a byproduct of an impassioned and often inflammatory chieftaincy discourse in Nyo khana.
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“It is unfortunate that the world has become used to bad news from Ogoni, but no one, in his or her wildest imagination would have thought that khana people would descend so low as to engineer the calculated attempted murder of an innocent and courageous King.
“The consequences of violence and ethnic hatred are all too clear in recent history. It must be avoided. The recent spate of brutal attacks on Baridam and others alike, are alarming indicators of Ogoni’s continuing slide into violence.”
The palace appealed to the Police authority and other security agencies to conduct independent security review, take actions that would help bring a rapid end to the attempted assassination on His Royal Majesty. “The police must ensure that those responsible for this crime are brought to justice.”
The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) has joined in calls for police intervention as it strongly condemned the assassination attempt.
Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, the executive director, said: “This heinous and cowardly act is not only an attack on the King’s person but also an affront to the traditional institution in Rivers State and a threat to the peace of Bangha Kingdom, Khana, Ogoni, and the Niger Delta region.
“We demand a thorough investigation into the incident and call on the Rivers State Commissioner of Police to leave no stone unturned in bringing the perpetrators to justice.”
He urged the Governor of the State, Siminalayi Fubara, to facilitate the provision of adequate security for the protection of the King on recovery and ensure the safety of all other citizens in the State.
The police public relations unit is yet to respond to inquiries so far sent to it.
Sources however said the monarch has been in a storm over his support for chieftaincy conferment on one particular prominent personality who may be a topnotch in a local council authority.
Sources mentioned those visibly angry with him including former militants.
