Heavily armed terrorists have reportedly taken over forest areas in the Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Residents in the communities who are now facing a wave of violence have cried out over the development
Local leaders say the situation has spiralled beyond the control of community-based security outfits.
While speaking during a press conference on Thursday, the President-General of Ogbakor Ikwerre Cultural Organisation Worldwide, Godspower Onuekwa, condemned what he called the “illegal occupation” of forests across multiple communities, including Igbo, Igurita, Omagwa and Omademe.
Onuekwa said the armed groups, allegedly operating in large numbers and wielding sophisticated weapons, have unleashed sustained attacks on residents, engaging in killings and kidnappings while forcing locals to live in constant fear.
He noted that the affected communities are strategically significant as host areas to the Port Harcourt International Airport, warning that the deteriorating security situation poses broader risks beyond the immediate localities.
“These bandits have made life unbearable for our people,” Onuekwa said, accusing security agencies of failing to respond decisively to the growing threat.
Providing details of a recent attack, he disclosed that on April 8, 2026, the gunmen stormed Igbo community, where they abducted a couple during a violent raid.
According to him, attempts by local vigilante members to repel the attackers proved futile, as the assailants, said to be over 200 in number, overpowered them with superior firepower.
In the process, the attackers also abducted the head of the local vigilante group, identified simply as Mr. Collins.
The incident is what community leaders describe as a dangerous escalation, with local security structures increasingly unable to withstand the scale and sophistication of the armed groups.
Onuekwa called on the federal and Rivers State governments to urgently deploy security forces to reclaim the occupied forests and restore safety to affected communities.