Tension is rising in Rivers State following allegations by the Bille Kingdom that the King of Elem-Kalabari, His Royal Highness Alhaji Mujahid Asari Dokubo, is planning to invade their community using his private militia, known as the “Amama Soldiers.
” The Bille Chiefs and Elders Council raised the alarm at a press conference in Port Harcourt on Monday, alleging that individuals suspected to be aligned with Asari’s militia have already been spotted surveying their territory and taking strategic photographs in preparation for an attack. Alabo Boma Renner Dappa, known as Pelebo II and spokesperson of the Bille Town Council, accused King Asari Dokubo of attempting to expand his territorial influence through violent means, warning that the people of Bille would resist any such attempt to displace them from their ancestral lands.
According to Dappa, the kingdom is calling on the federal and state governments, the Department of State Services (DSS), security agencies, the media, and the international community to take note of the alleged plot and intervene urgently to prevent violence. “On Saturday, July 12, 2025, in a more brazen escalation, Alhaji Dokubo’s Amama Soldiers invaded Dabira community, threatening residents with imminent violence.
They ordered inhabitants to vacate their homes, warning that the community would be burned to the ground upon their return,” Dappa said. He added that the alleged plot mirrors a similar episode from 25 years ago, during Dokubo’s tenure as President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), when Bille was reportedly attacked in a violent clash that left several dead and many properties destroyed. Advertisements “We have it on good record that HRH Asari Dokubo and his Amama group have been unlawfully recruiting young people and gathering weapons. We are deeply concerned,” he stated. The Bille leaders said they have written to local government authorities, the Divisional Police Officer in Degema, and the state government, but are yet to receive a response. Asari Dokubo Responds: “Bille is the Headquarters of Criminality”
In a swift rebuttal, HRH Asari Dokubo denied any plan to attack Bille Kingdom, dismissing the allegations as baseless and accusing the Bille people of being the real perpetrators of criminal activities in the region. “Immediately I became Amanyanabo, the Bille people started attacking me with all sorts of frivolous claims,” Dokubo said. “Everybody knows Bille is the headquarters of bunkering. They harbour kidnappers and oil thieves.” The outspoken Kalabari monarch accused the Bille community of engaging in constant territorial disputes with neighbouring communities and of having a long history of provocation.
“Bille is in court with Kula, Krakrama, Ke, and others. They cause problems everywhere. They think because they’re rascally, they can intimidate people. But one day, a Kalabari community will rise, and Bille will be no more,” he warned. While distancing himself from any violent intentions, Asari maintained that he would defend himself against what he described as coordinated attacks on his personality and kingdom. Call for Urgent Intervention The rising tension between the Bille Kingdom and Asari Dokubo’s Kalabari faction has raised fears of renewed violence in the already fragile Niger Delta region. Community leaders and civil society organizations are now calling on the state government, security agencies, and traditional rulers across Rivers State to step in and prevent a potential breakdown of law and order.