Lorine Emenike
There is mass exodus of residents of Abonnema in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State from their homes on Sunday following the killing of two soldiers on Saturday at a checkpoint between Abonnema and Obonoma.
Theportcitynews gathered that the soldiers were allegedly ambushed and shot dead by operators of illegal refineries popularly known as Kpo-fire following the destruction of their illegal refinery by soldiers attached to the area.
But the residents took their fate in their hands, moving out of the town en mass for the fear of reprisal attack by personnel of the Nigerian Army.
Recall that the army laid a siege on the town during the Presidential and National Assembly elections leading to a violence showdown that resulted in the death of over 30 persons including a lieutenant of the Nigerian Army.
There have been torrents of blame games since the military invasion, with the state government blaming the leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state especially Rotimi Amaechi and Tonye Cole for the killings.
However, Tonye Cole denied the accusation, saying that Gov Nyesom Wike’s support for cultists and militants in the area led to the violent show down with the soldiers.
Theportcitynews also gathered that the intervention of the Amanyanabo of Abonnema, HRM, Barr Disreal Bobmanuel could not halt the mass exodus from the town.
Theportcitynews correspondent reports that the residents are moving into Buguma and Degema to avoid being killed by soldiers.
