The General Assembly of Ikuru Town in Rivers State has petitioned the Department of State Services (DSS), calling for urgent intervention over what they describe as the takeover of their community by armed cultists masquerading as members of the local OSPAC vigilante outfit.
In a letter addressed to the DSS State Director in Port Harcourt and signed by Community Secretary of Ikuru Town, Priest Paul Amamitong Friday, on behalf of the General Assembly, the community alleged that the suspected cultists have been engaging in activities that threaten public safety, disrupt daily life, and undermine the rule of law.
According to the petition, the group is accused of unlawful possession of firearms, firing sporadic gunshots, restricting residents’ movements without cause, performing fetish rituals in preparation for violence, and making inflammatory and derogatory statements capable of inciting unrest.
The community also claimed that the situation has triggered economic instability, with traders shutting their businesses and some residents relocating out of fear.
The petition listed the names of several alleged cultists and identified one Thompson Mbaba as their leader. It further accused King Aaron Miller Ikuru of sponsoring the group by providing firearms, logistics, and other support.
The residents noted that the individuals named had previously been involved in a dispute in Ikuru Town and were signatories to a peace accord brokered by the Ikuru Town Peace Committee, the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, the Andoni Local Government Administrator, and the European Union. They described the alleged activities as a breach of that agreement and a demonstration of disregard for the rule of law.
The petition warned that failure to act swiftly could escalate the situation into a full-blown crisis. The community is seeking the removal of the alleged cultists, a thorough investigation into their activities, and the restoration of peace and stability in Ikuru Town.
