Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has promised a thorough investigation into the deaths of 10 people following a boat incident in Kula Community, Akuku-Toru Local Government Area, amid tensions over the retrieval of an oil facility vessel.
The governor gave the assurance on Thursday when Kula indigenes marched peacefully to Government House in Port Harcourt to seek the state government’s intervention and demand accountability over the incident.
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Sunny Ewule, Fubara sympathised with the bereaved families and urged the community to remain calm while the circumstances surrounding the deaths are investigated.
He assured the protesters that anyone found responsible would face the consequences under the law, stressing that the government would not overlook the loss of lives.
“We want to sympathize 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,” the governor said.
He added that the state government would pursue the matter to establish what happened and prevent the community from feeling compelled to take matters into its own hands.
Speaking on behalf of the community, its leader, High Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, said the delegation had come to formally report the incident to the governor and seek government intervention.
Sara-Igbe said the community wanted the authorities to address the matter through lawful channels, despite the anger over the deaths.
“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.
The incident occurred around the Robert-Kiri axis of Kula, where tensions reportedly arose over the retrieval of the Anambra Basin vessel.
Earlier accounts by Sara-Igbe alleged that a boat carrying community members capsized during the operation involving gunboats.
Max Shipping Services Limited, which identified itself as the owner of the vessel, has said it contracted Menal Technical Services Limited to use it at Kula and decided to retrieve it after alleged unpaid hire fees.
The company has also called for an investigation into the incident.