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From Tony John, Port Harcourt
The gruesome machete attack on a prominent community leader, Idiege Benjamin, has sent shockwaves through Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State, raising concerns that the fragile peace may be fracturing.
Police have apprehended two suspects, but the incident has reignited long-simmering anxieties about lawlessness and potential insurgency in the LGA and neighbouring communities in Ahoada West LGA.
On the morning of June 29, 2025, Idiege Benjamin, the chairman of Okana community, was working on his farm in Omoboko when, according to his account, he and his friend, Akeodi Ologhadien, were ambushed.
Benjamin said four men armed with machetes descended upon them. While Ologhadien managed to escape into the bush, Benjamin was not so fortunate, sustaining grievous wounds that required emergency transport to the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH).
The victim recalled: “At about 7am on 29th June, 2025, I was going to my farm, a group of boys ambushed me, macheted me on the head, shoulder and on the hand. They came at me with the machetes, like animals.
“After they left, I had to force myself to the main road because where the thing happened was very close to the road. My community people came and took me to the police station in Abua Central there.
“For now, I am demanding justice. I heard the police have arrested some of them. I was unconscious, but now I am recovering; at least, I can talk a little.”
Benjamin said he later got to know that police swiftly responded and arrested two suspects, Odiamiodi and Edikake, both from the Omalem community.
The suspects, it was learnt, were in custody at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIIB) for interrogation. The hunt for the remaining two suspects continues.
It was gathered that the attack was more than just an isolated incident. It has dredged up a dark and troubling history surrounding the Omalem community, which has long been plagued by accusations of harbouring criminal elements. Locals whisper of decades-long cycle of violence and impunity.
Community sources, going down memory lane, said the attacks targeted the plantain and palm plantation, as well as an oil mill belonging to the late Chief Onodi Biko. According to one of the sources, this took the centre stage, causing violence in the community.
The source said: “The incident happened in 1998. Although convictions were secured in that case, the deep-seated resentments lingered.
“Then, in 2003, the Chief of Ogbema community, Amakiri Senseeny, vanished without a trace, allegedly abducted and murdered by individuals from a neighbouring community, Omalem. His body has never been recovered, a chilling reminder of the unresolved crimes that haunt the region.
“Also, in 2023, Okana farmers found themselves terrorized; their farmlands were invaded, their crops stolen and their livelihoods reduced to ashes by arsonists in the dead of the night – a crime that remains unsolved.
“This latest act of brutality has prompted a groundswell of calls for decisive action. Residents are demanding greater police presence in Omalem, a crackdown on known criminals and a concerted effort to address the underlying social and economic issues that fuel the cycle of violence.”
A community elder who simply identified himself as Johnson, for fear of reprisal, demanded: “We need more than just arrests. We need real security, real justice and a real chance to build a better future for our children.”
He said relevant authorities are facing mounting pressure to respond effectively and prevent the situation from spiraling out of control, potentially plunging the Abua/Odual LGA back into a state of insurgency.
The Rivers State Police Command confirmed the incident, saying its operatives have arrested two suspects for the brutal attack on Benjamin, chairman of the Community Development Committee.
Police public relations officer in the state, Grace Iringe-Koko, a superintendent of police, confirmed the incident to journalists.
She said the suspects were arrested by the police division in Ayama, Abua Central, and transferred to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Port Harcourt, for discreet investigation.
