An oil mogul, Chief O.B Lulu-Briggs, the Regent of Abonnema, on Saturday, escaped assassination attempt at his home town Abonnema, Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Lulu-Briggs had visited Abonnema for a peace and reconciliation meeting between chiefs, opinion leaders and elders of the area in respect of the crisis rocking the position of the Chairman of Council of Chiefs of Abonnema.
Chairman of the Council, Chief Disrael Gbobo Bob-Manuel, was last week suspended from the position based on an allegation of witchcraft levelled against him.
Consequently, Lulu-Briggs was appointed in acting capacity to man the position till the controversies raised were resolved.
Based on the development, Lulu-Briggs had visited Abonnema in order to broker peace, but was held by hundreds of youths, who attacked his convoy and damaged several cars including the bullet proof vehicle carrying the High Chief.
Youths numbering over 200 gathered at the community palace took over the scene immediately the convoy arrived and were hauling stones and other weapons on Lulu-Briggs’ team, as well shooting.
Speaking, a chief, who witnessed the incident narrated: “Some youths we do not know attempted to kill High Chief Lulu-Briggs when he came to Abonnema for a peace and reconciliation meeting.
“They gathered his car, destroyed car in his convoy, but he was saved because his car is bullet proof. They were shooting guns. We do not know what their annoyance is, but we know they were hired”.
However, Chief Lulu-Briggs has sued for peace in Abonnema Kingdom, stating that violence and killings would not resolve the issues surrounding the position of the Chairman of Abonnema Council and development of the area.
The philanthropist, who spoke through Chief Ibim Iyibo Young-Briggs, noted that was need for reconciliation of all the factions in the face-off, expressing regrets over poor infrastructural development in the area.
He added: “I want to call for a dialogue of all concerned to immediately resolve all misunderstanding, acrimonies and for that matter grievances, so that Abonnema will be restored to its characteristics acclamation of ‘York City’.”
source: the sun
