Boundary adjustment: Community vows to remain in Rivers
Tuesday, Jan 29, 2008

No fewer than 200 indigenes of Utuechi community in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State yesterday protested peacefully at the state House of Assembly Complex to restate their stand to remain in the state.

The protest was in reaction to alleged plans to move Utuechi community to Bayelsa State.

Making the community’s stand known, the leader of the group and a retired deputy superintendent (DSP), A.L. Abaje said their visit to the Assembly was to register their grievances over the purported proposal of relocating Utuechi community to Bayelsa State by the Boundary Adjustment Commission.

Mr. Abaje noted that the news of moving Utuechi community to Bayelsa State through boundary adjustment remains a sour taste in the lips of Utuechi people, and warned that the community would resist any attempt to remove them from Rivers State.

He argued that the community has no cultural and historical relationship, pointing out that the proposed plan, if allowed, would subject the community to a stranger in a strange land.

The community spokesman reasoned that Bayelsa wanted Utuechi community because of the oil wells in the area. According to him, the community has well over 42 oil wells.

He, therefore, urged the state government to come to their aid and ensure that they were not cut off from their brothers and relations as a result of the boundary adjustment.

Also speaking, the youth President of Utuechi community, Mr. Emmanuel Onuosaeseh shared the sentiments of Abaje on the subject matter. He regretted that no enlightenment campaign has been carried out in the community over the proposed plan, and called on the commission to have a rethink.

Onuosaeseh was categorical that the youths in particular and community in general would stop at nothing in stalling the movement of their community to neighbouring Bayelsa State.

Responding on behalf of the Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Lucky Odili, representing Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Constituency II, commended the people for their peaceful disposition in handling the matter.

Odili assured the protesters that the state government was aware of their travails even as he said he has received protest letters from the community intimating them of their position on the matter.

Utuechi community by its cultural affinity, he said, does not have any link with Bayelsa State, and assured that the state government would not allow any of its parts to be excised.