Ogoni Youth Group Demands Uncompromised Probe Into Khana Killings, Says Peace Must Not Bury Justice
The Ogoni Youths Development Initiative (OYDI) has called on the Rivers State Police Command to intensify and independently pursue investigations into a series of killings in Khana Local Government Area, insisting that ongoing peace and reconciliation efforts must not overshadow the search for justice.
In a statement signed by its Global President, Comrade Imeabe Saviour Oscar, the group welcomed recent initiatives aimed at promoting peace and political reconciliation in Khana and the wider Ogoni area, but stressed that criminal investigations must continue without interference.
The group said the killings of former Chief Security Officer of Khana LGA, Letam Kiine, also known as Langa, and two aides associated with the Khana Local Government Chairman, Philip Barikui and Barikpe Barimamma, had heightened concerns about insecurity in the area.
Letam Kiine was reportedly shot dead by unidentified gunmen along Polytechnic Road in Bori in July, with the Rivers State Police Command confirming that an investigation had been launched into the killing.
Similarly, Philip Barikui and Barikpe Barimamma were killed in Bori in August, prompting the police to announce that investigations into the incident were ongoing.
OYDI maintained that while political actors and community leaders may pursue reconciliation and resolve disagreements, such efforts should not affect investigations into alleged criminal offences.
“A criminal offence is a crime against the state. It cannot simply be settled, dissolved or forgiven at an elite political meeting,” the group said.
The organisation clarified that it was not directly accusing Khana Local Government Chairman, Dr. Thomas Bariere, or Chief Solomon Ndigbara of masterminding the killings. However, it expressed concern that the political disagreement between the parties may have contributed to a tense environment and called for a thorough investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the attacks.
The group also questioned whether the ongoing peace initiatives would help address other security concerns and communal tensions, including the lingering crisis involving communities in the Boue and Yeghe axis.
Security and boundary-related tensions between Uegwere Boue in Khana and Yeghe in neighbouring Gokana have remained a subject of intervention by government and Ogoni stakeholders, with recent meetings focusing on measures to promote lasting peace and strengthen security in the affected areas.
The youth organisation urged the Rivers State Commissioner of Police and the command to ensure that investigations into the killings remain independent of political developments.
It specifically called for a comprehensive investigation into the deaths of Letam Kiine, Philip Barikui, Barikpe Barimamma and other related killings in Khana, demanding that investigators identify not only the gunmen responsible but also any persons who may be found to have sponsored or facilitated the violence.
The group further called on the police to provide periodic updates on the progress of the investigations in order to reassure residents and the families of the victims that justice is being pursued.
According to the statement, allowing political reconciliation to replace or weaken criminal investigations could undermine public confidence in the justice system and encourage impunity.
“Peace without justice is a ticking time bomb,” OYDI stated, urging the police to remain professional and unswayed by political considerations while carrying out their investigations.
The call comes amid broader concern over insecurity in Khana, where prominent Ogoni leaders and other stakeholders have also urged security agencies to identify and prosecute those responsible for recent attacks and killings.
