The gruesome machete attack on a prominent community leader has sent shockwaves through Abua/Odual Local Government Area, raising concerns that a 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 region.
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 friend Akeodi Ologhadien were ambushed. Four men armed with machetes descended upon them, identified as Odiamiodi Ezekiel (alias Young), Edikake Paul, Odekuango Love Isaiah (alias Deko), and Dirokweni Uduku. 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.
“They came at me with the machetes, like animals,” Benjamin reportedly told investigators from his hospital bed.
Police swiftly responded, confirming the arrest of Odiamiodi Ezekiel and Edikake Paul, both from the Omalem community. They are now in custody at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCIB), where they are undergoing interrogation. The hunt for the remaining two suspects continues.
But the attack is 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 harboring criminal elements. Locals whisper of a decades-long cycle of violence and impunity:
Going back in time, the attacks targeted the palm and plantain plantation and oil mill attacks belonging to the late Chief Onodi Biko, this took the centre stage. 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 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 invaded, their crops stolen, and their livelihoods reduced to ashes by arsonists in the dead of night – a crime that remains unsolved.
This latest act of brutality has prompted a groundswell of calls for decisive action. Residents are demanding a 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.
“We need more than just arrests,” said one community elder, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of reprisal. “We need real security, real justice, and a real chance to build a better future for our children.”
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.