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The President of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Amb. Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo, has called for an independent investigation into the reported deaths of 10 persons at Robertkiri along the Kula waterways in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Sukubo, a prominent stakeholder in Kula Kingdom, also announced plans for a 21-day protest involving 51,000 youths to demand justice for the victims and their families.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, he urged Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, to constitute an investigative panel to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident, which reportedly occurred on October 20, 2026.
He alleged that the incident happened amid unresolved tensions between members of the host communities and the Ibeto Group over the movement of an oil vessel, Anambra Basin, out of the area.
According to Sukubo, the incident involved the vessel and two tugboats identified as Delta Runner and Laura-V.
He said the deceased were members of satellite communities and fishing settlements in Kula who had raised concerns over alleged pollution of waterways, fishing ports and creeks, compliance with the host-community provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act, and outstanding payments to local vendors.
“We call on the Federal Government, relevant ministries and human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, to intervene and ensure that the concerns of the affected communities receive appropriate attention,” he said.
Sukubo appealed directly to Fubara to establish a panel that would investigate the incident and determine the circumstances surrounding the reported deaths.
“We appeal to His Excellency, the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, to set up a panel to investigate this matter,” he said.
He added that the planned 21-day protest would begin the following week and involve 51,000 youths.
“We shall embark on a 21-day protest, starting from next week, involving 51,000 youths to demand justice for the deceased and their families,” Sukubo said.
He disclosed that the proposed demonstrations would include a march to the Port Harcourt residence of the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Ibeto Group, Chief Cletus Ibeto, as well as protests at the group’s businesses in Rivers State.
According to him, the planned action is intended to draw public attention to the reported deaths and the grievances of the affected communities.
The NYCN president urged all parties involved to cooperate with any investigation, stressing that the process must be transparent and capable of establishing what happened.
He also called for justice for the victims’ families and concrete measures to address the concerns raised by the host communities.
The incident has also drawn a response from Max Shipping Services Limited, the owner of Anambra Basin FSO, which denied the involvement of its chairman, Chief Cletus Ibeto, in the reported confrontation.
In a statement issued in Port Harcourt and signed by its legal officer, Ikeh Chidimma Sylvia, the company said Ibeto did not authorise the deployment of armed personnel to confront the protesters.
The company explained that its involvement was limited to retrieving its vessel, which had been hired to Menal Technical Services Limited under a Marine Equipment Hire Agreement dated September 20, 2024, and subsequently amended through an addendum.
Earlier reports indicated that at least 10 people were feared dead after a boat reportedly capsized during a confrontation over an oil spill at OML-55 in the community.
The conflicting accounts and allegations surrounding the incident have heightened calls for an impartial investigation to establish the sequence of events, determine responsibility where wrongdoing is established, and ensure that affected families receive justice.
The proposed protest is expected to place further pressure on the Rivers State Government and relevant federal authorities to address the incident and the longstanding grievances of the host communities.
