Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
Food items worth millions of Naira have been donated to thousands of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, from 4 riverine communities in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State who were sacked from their homes due to clashes between cult gangs in their areas by the new chairman of the council, Hon. Erastus Awortu.
Awortu made the donation during a visit to the IDPs at Kaa Waterfront, a community in Khana Local Government Area where the people are taking refuge after they were displaced from their communities by the cult gangs.
He also vowed that his administration would do whatever it takes within the ambit of the law to ensure that the displaced persons safely return to their homes within the next one week.
A cross section of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camping as refugees in Las waterside in Khana local government area
Awortu assured the affected communities of adequate security and protection as security boats have been procured to effectively patrol the area and check the senseless acts of the rampaging cultists.
He vowed that no community would be sacked in Andoni again as a result of civil disturbances under his watch as council chairman.
Awortu also called on the displaced persons and leaders of the affected communities not to cover up criminal acts in their domain regardless of who is involve as such cover-ups have dire consequences.
Some of the Internally Displaced Persons expressed delight that the Council Chairman was able to help them barely one week after assuming office.
They lamented that the incessant cult clashes in their communities have left them homeless and in abject poverty.
Food items donated to Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camping as refugees in Las waterside in Khana local government area
According to them, the cult clashes have resulted in wanton destruction of lives and properties, their source of livelihoods and the disruption of the education of their children.
Earlier, the Andoni Council Chairman Erastus Awortu in company of his counterpart in Khana Local Government Thomas Bariere, paid a courtesy visit on the Paramount Ruler of Kaa Community in Council, King Theophilus Nwigo and the Leadership of the Community to show appreciation to them for providing Shelter to the displaced persons
It would be recalled that several communities in Andoni had been sacked due to regular bloody cult clashes in communities in the area.
The clashes led to the abductionKing Aaron Ikuru of Ikuru Community and Chairman Andoni Council of Chiefs.
He spent 55 days in the hands of kidnappers before he regained his wisdom.