The Otubo family in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State is demanding for justice after ten members of the family were subjected to inhuman treatment and locked up in an iron cage allegedly by the Chairmen of the Toru-Ndoro and Bulou-Ndoro Community Development Committee, Mr. Abunty Etifa-Hitler and other members of the CDC.
In an interview, the Otubo family claimed that the victims were detained and locked up in the iron cage at Toru Ndoro on October 19, exposed to the elements of the weather and denied food and water over a dispute on the ownership of Ogbotobo creeks and lands which is their maternal home.
Some weeks back, pictures emerged of how members of the Otubo family were locked up in an iron cage at the Toru-Ndoro Community cell for maintaining that the Alei-Toru/Kala-Toru/Krin creeks and environs belonged to their maternal home, Ogbotobo community in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
According to their account, between 1960 and 1962, natives of Toru-Ndoro had migrated from Ndoro in Delta State to Ogbotobo and sought their consent before settling down in the area.
Sixty years after, for insisting that the creek and the environs belonged to Ogbotobo, ten members of the Otubo family whose names were given as Jacob Debekeme, Tamarau-brakaemi Hitler, Anotie ThankGod, Kemeagbe-ere ThankGod, Agbemo, Ebiema, Love, Emomotimi and Automatic were reportedly abducted from their houses and detained in the iron cage which had no roof, exposing them to rains and sun.
A member of the family, Mrs. Eunice Binaebi in an interview alleged that the Community Executives led by the CDC Chairman of Toru-Ndoro, Mr. Abunty Etifa-Hitler first ordered them to proceed on exile and having refused were locked up in an iron cage, threatening that any native of the community who gave them food or water would pay a fine of one hundred thousand Naira (N100, 000).
Mrs. Binaebi alleged that though the victims had been released from the cage, they were asked not to go anywhere near the Creek to fish or farm until they pay a fine of two hundred thousand Naira (N200,000) or forced into exile.
She said the family had notified the Commissioner of police in respect of the incident and also previously written a petition for an earlier incident to the Commissioner for Local Government, Community Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, with a Chief in Toru-Ndoro reportedly bragging that the matter won’t be given any attention.
The Commissioner had reportedly tried to settle the matter by inviting the CDC Chairmen of both communities to meetings with no head way achieved.
Contacted for his reaction, CDC Chairman of Toru-Ndoro, Mr. Abunty Etifa-Hitler said it was a community issue.
He stated that the area in dispute was not Ogbotobo creeks but Alei-Toru creeks.
Mr. Etifa-Hitler denied that ten members of the Otubo family were locked up in the iron cage with their rights violated under his supervision, pledging to call back which he never did.
However pictures of the detained persons were circulated by family members.
Spokesman for the Bayelsa Police Command, Asinim Butswat when contacted to confirm the development said he was trying to get in touch with the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the area for details.
Reports say the Deputy Commissioner of Police in the State who is now handling the matter had invited the parties for a meeting in his office in the State capital this week.
