Rivers Monarch Escapes Assassination as Gunmen Raze Palace, Several Wounded

Finima community in Bonny Local Government Area, Rivers State, was thrown into chaos on Saturday when heavily armed gunmen stormed the palace of traditional ruler Aseme Alabo Dagogo Lambert Brown in a brutal attack that left multiple people wounded and raised fears of escalating violence.

PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria – The traditional ruler of Finima community in Bonny Local Government Area, Rivers State, Aseme Alabo Dagogo Lambert Brown, escaped assassination by the whiskers on Saturday morning when his palace came under brutal attack by heavily armed gunmen. The attack happened between 3 am and 4 am, when residents of Amadabo witnessed heavy gunfire that left residential buildings, fences, and a vehicle riddled with bullets. The incident, which lasted several hours, was said to have started in the early hours of Saturday over disagreements relating to cultural identity and the right of families in the community to perform certain masquerade displays. In the confusion that followed, the attackers reportedly invaded the building housing the ancient palace and stormed the Amadabo’s personal living room, apparently in search of him and members of his household.

Community sources claimed that some individuals have been fingered as those that carried out the attack. The sources, who craved to remain anonymous, said they expect security agencies to unravel the sponsors of the heinous operation. One source in the community further disclosed that an indigene identified as Ibiwari Brown allegedly suffered a severe injury, with his hand reportedly cut off by the attackers. Several other people who sustained severe bullet wounds were rushed to undisclosed hospitals for medical attention. According to the sources, the attackers did not end at the monarch’s residence, as they spread bullets to the houses of some community leaders, including an indigene identified as Alabo Tuwonimi. At the time of filing the report, it could not be ascertained if security agencies had arrested any suspects in connection with the operation.

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The attack comes amid an ongoing dispute involving traditional institutions and chieftaincy interests in Finima, raising fears that the violence may be linked to a power struggle. The Buoye Omuso Brown Founding and Ruling House of Finima has called for urgent intervention by security agencies, the Rivers State Government, and other relevant authorities to prevent further deterioration of the situation. In a statement titled “SOS on Looming Invasion of Finima to Unleash Anarchy,” signed by its Administrative Secretary, Amasenibo Vivian Daps Brown, the Amadabo-in-Council raised concerns over alleged moves by the Bonny Chiefs Council, led by Se-Alabo (Amb.) Dagogo Soala Claude-Wilcox, to support a faction of the Tobin Chieftaincy House. The ruling house alleged that the development could cause unrest and threaten peace in Finima, warning that unknown individuals were being moved into the community for the purpose of causing what it described as “premeditated mayhem” against residents.

The Amadabo-in-Council recalled that the latest dispute originated in 2024 when a faction of the Tobin Chieftaincy House, led by Dagogo Joseph Tobin, reportedly initiated moves to establish what it described as the “Tobin House Owu-ogbo,” based on claims of ownership of Finima. The ruling house rejected the move, maintaining that the history and origin of Finima were well established and had been validated by courts of competent jurisdiction. Trouble reportedly began after a section of the Brown Chieftaincy House attempted to prevent the Tobin Chieftaincy House, both of Finima, from performing its annual festivals known as “Eremini and Fongu Mini,” scheduled for September 22, 2026. As part of the same cultural activities, the Tobin Chieftaincy House had also proposed to stage masquerade displays on October 31, 2026, an event which the Brown family had allegedly threatened to disrupt. But the Bonny Chiefs Council has debunked the claims of the Brown Chieftaincy House, dismissing them as unacceptable, provocative and capable of creating unnecessary tension and a breach of peace in the kingdom. In a statement, the council said no individual, faction, group or section of another chieftaincy house had the authority to stop or interfere with the cultural activities of another recognised chieftaincy house.

Reacting to the incident, the Chairman of Bonny Local Government Area, Amasenibo Hon. Abinye Blessing Pepple, directed the immediate suspension of all events and cultural activities in Finima Community. Pepple issued the directive when he visited the community for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation, expressing grave concern over the incident and assuring residents that necessary measures were being taken to restore and sustain peace. Pepple strongly condemned the violence and warned that any attempt by individuals or groups to undermine the security architecture of Bonny Local Government Area would be firmly resisted. He said all persons found responsible for the attack would be identified and brought to justice, stressing that acts capable of threatening the peace, security and safety of residents would not be tolerated. He also commended the security agencies for their swift and professional response, noting that their intervention contributed significantly to bringing the situation under control. “Consequently, all security agencies have been duly notified of the directive suspending all events and cultural activities in Finima Community. Any person or group that disregards this directive will be arrested accordingly,” he stated. The chairman urged residents of Finima and the entire Bonny Local Government Area to remain calm, vigilant and law-abiding, assuring them that the security situation was being closely monitored.

The community, which hosts the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) complex, was said to have been thrown into panic after the attack. The violence has raised fresh concerns over the management of traditional institutions, cultural rights and chieftaincy relations in Bonny Kingdom, where long-standing customs remain central to identity, legitimacy and communal peace.

2027: Over 500 Northern Muslim Clerics Endorse Tinubu for Second Term

The Muslim Intellectuals Forum, comprising over 500 Islamic scholars and preachers from northern Nigeria, has endorsed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid, citing improvements in security and infrastructure development across the region.

DUTSE, Nigeria – The Muslim Intellectuals Forum has urged Nigerians to vote for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the forthcoming 2027 general election, passing a vote of confidence in his leadership following a closed-door meeting in Dutse, Jigawa State, on Saturday. The forum, a coalition of Islamic preachers, Juma’at imams, academics, and Qur’anic memorisers from the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, declared its support after extensive discussions on the state of the nation. The resolution was read to journalists by the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Muntaka Darma, who said the forum acknowledged improvements in security and infrastructure across northern Nigeria under the Tinubu administration. “The forum agreed that there have been some improvements in terms of all factors and indicators of development in northern Nigeria,” Darma stated.

No fewer than 500 Muslim clerics attended the meeting, including imams, preachers, and Qur’anic memorisers from the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Several political leaders also graced the event, including Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni, Sokoto State Governor Ahmed Aliyu, Jigawa State Governor Umar Namadi, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, and Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin. The forum identified infrastructure development, including the rehabilitation of the Kano-Kaduna road, as one of the notable improvements recorded. Darma also cited improved security in several areas, particularly parts of Kaduna, Katsina, and Sokoto states. “Generally, security has improved in the north-eastern states,” he said, while acknowledging that further efforts were still required.

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Despite its endorsement, the forum urged the Federal Government to intensify efforts to address security challenges in Niger and Zamfara states. “Although the forum agreed that more needs to be done in Niger, Zamfara and other places, generally security has improved,” Darma said. According to him, the forum subsequently resolved to mobilise support for Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election. “The forum, therefore, invited the general public to vote for the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the January 2027 election,” he said. Darma described the endorsement as the resolution of the meeting following extensive discussions among participating Muslim intellectuals and religious leaders.

The endorsement comes as political actors intensify mobilisation and consultations ahead of the 2027 general elections. It also follows recent comments by prominent Islamic cleric Sheikh Yahaya Jingir, who reaffirmed his support for a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket in 2027, describing himself as “one of those who raise the flag of Islam.” Jingir, one of the most influential clerics associated with Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS), made the remarks at a mass wedding celebration in Kano, urging Muslims to vote in large numbers to demonstrate their numerical strength. “I am calling on people to come and let us do Muslim-Muslim again,” he said. He also claimed that in the 2023 election, “when the votes were counted, Allah helped us, and we defeated them.”

The comments have drawn criticism from political figures, including Nigeria’s Ambassador-designate to South Africa Femi Fani-Kayode, who warned that Jingir’s remarks risked alienating Christian voters and could undermine Tinubu’s re-election bid. “Jingir is not only feeding into that false narrative with his reckless words, but he is also endangering the chances of our candidates in the 2027 presidential election because in order for us to win, we need BOTH Muslim AND Christian votes,” Fani-Kayode said. Former Kano State Governor and NDC vice-presidential candidate Rabiu Kwankwaso also condemned Jingir’s remarks, saying divisive rhetoric should be discouraged at a time when the country requires greater cohesion. “At this critical moment in our nation’s history, statements that promote division and disunity must be firmly discouraged,” Kwankwaso said. Jingir, however, has remained defiant, telling BBC Hausa that he has “no regrets” over his position, insisting that his advocacy is based on Islamic teachings rather than political interests. “I am not promoting Tinubu; I am promoting Islam,” he declared.