Army foils communal clash in Delta

From Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

Blood bath amidst communal clash in Koko community, Delta State, was on Tuesday averted by military taskforce in the area.
It was gathered that the 19 Battalion of the Nigeria Army in Koko community, Warri North Local Government Area of the State stalled communal clash which reared its heads between Ajoki ,Kolokolo communities in the early hours of the fateful Tuesday after a member of one of the communities was feared killed.
Sources said that the crisis would have taken a turn for the worst If not for the timely intervention of the military taskforce who immediately moved into the two aggrieved communities to forestall peaceful coexistence.
It was further gathered that trouble was ignited by the alleged seizure of a barge belonging to Ajoki community by Kolokolo community, an action that was said to have been stemmed from grievances allegedly held against Sahara Energy who it claimed favoured Ajoki community.
Sources alleged that a barge conveying workers and materials was hired by Kolokolo community and seized after the duration for the contract elapsed, but another source maintained that the request for the release of the Barge was met with stiff resistance which resulted in armed men from Ajoki community allegedly firing gunshots into the air, disturbing noise that attracted the military taskforce to the scene to save the situation.
But Major Yakubu Kachaallah, leader of the military taskforce who confirmed the incident to journalists in the area, said,” we had to save what would have been blood bath by the two aggrieved communities, we restored peaceful coexistence and peace had returned to both communities, we ordered the release of the Barge which was the major cause of the clash, and it was released for peace.”
Meanwhile, six suspected oil thieves operating within Warri north were in the early of Wednesday arrested by the military taskforce and handed over to the police for further prosecution.
Details of the arrest of the suspects as at the time of this report was not too clear as none of the taskforce members were ready to comment on the issue, but managed to say investigation was ongoing.
FG arraigns journalist, Jones Abiri for terrorism, economic sabotage The Nigerian government on Wednesday arraigned journalist Jones Abiri for alleged economic sabotage and terrorism.
Federal prosecutors filed three counts of terrorism, economic sabotage, and fraud against Mr Abiri on Wednesday morning, according to his lawyer, Samuel Ogala.
Court filing seen by PREMIUM TIMES said Mr Abiri sent text messages from his phone number to Shell and Agip officials, threatening to blow their oil installations if his demands were not met.
The Bayelsa-based journalist was also accused of leading a gang of activists to blow up pipelines in Bayelsa.
All the offences allegedly took place between June and July 2016.
The charges came nine months after Mr Abiri was freed from the custody of the State Security Service, after spending two years there without trial.
The journalist strongly denied all allegations, saying he was being targeted for his media work that put a spotlight on the controversial conducts of oil companies and the Nigerian government in the Niger Delta.
His ordeal has been a major topic of discussion amongst media rights advocates, with the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalist asking for all charges to be dropped.