One Dead, As Assassins Try To Kill Tom Ateke

Ateke Tom

An attempt to kill the Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom,His Royal Majesty King Ateke Tom, in Okirika Local Government Area of Rivers State which proved abortive has left one person dead.

Naija News learnt that King Ateke had visited Amadi-Ama in Port Harcourt for a traditional function when some armed youths invaded the area and shot sporadically in the direction where he was.

However, according to a source, a young man, believed to be among the entourage with the king died in the process, while the king escaped by the whiskers.

The Ijaw Youth Council, IYC has however condemned the act of the gunmen, while staing that the act can incite anger and a fresh crisis in the region.

Through its Eastern zone Chairman, Comrade Samuel George In a statement Wednesday in Port Harcourt, he pointed out that the Ijaw leaders are sad over the development intended to take the life of the Amanyanabo.

George said: “We condemn the assassination attempt on the life of a prominent King of Ijaw land, HRM, King Ateke Tom. The leaders of Ijaw frown at it because it is capable of causing fresh crisis in the South-South region if not the peaceful disposition exhibited by the Okochiri monarch.”

According to George, “Ijaws have suffered a lot as a result of violence in the region, adding that Ijaw people do not want any crisis in their land, even as he urged security operatives to fish out and prosecute the culprits.”.

“The Ijaws observed that attacks on King Ateke is one too many on the traditional institutions of the Ijaw nation. One a different occasion that Amanyanabo of Kalabari and Bonny monarch suffered similar attacks. These attacks are uncivilised and a calculated attempt to cause crisis in Ijaw nation,” George stated.