Community leaders from Bilabiri Kingdom in Ekeremor Local Government Area have strongly rejected allegations made by the Niger Delta Peace Initiative (NDPI) against Mr. Ebimene Abaka, popularly known as “Small Fire,” describing the claims as fabricated and designed to drag their son and federal security agencies into a matter they characterised as territorial intrusion.

In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, High Chief Gelu Friday, HRH Chief Commander Abiodun Opumor, Acting Amananawei of Bilabiri Community, Paebi Samson, National President of Bilabiri Ibe Wari, and Chief Tekenane Abaka, CDC Chairman, dismissed the NDPI’s accusations as a calculated attempt to criminalise a law-abiding citizen and discredit the legitimate deployment of security personnel to protect lives and property in Bilabiri Kingdom.

The community leaders specifically challenged the NDPI’s claim that Ebimene Abaka was declared wanted by the government on April 3, 2021, over the death of General Frank B. Seide, an ex-militant who died on April 1, 2021.

“Mr. Ebimene Abaka was never declared wanted by the Nigerian Police or any government authority,” HRH Opumor said. “That claim is entirely false, and we challenge anyone to produce an official warrant or court order to that effect. This is nothing but a malicious attempt to give a bad name to our son simply because he is a law-abiding citizen of Bilabiri.”

On the death of General Seide, the leaders maintained that Abaka had no involvement in the incident. They said Seide died during a shootout between his own group and external forces who were reportedly supporting a GMoU candidate at the time.

“Ebimene Abaka knows nothing about their claim,” Chief Tekenane Abaka stated. “If General Patrick John is so sure of what he is accusing our son of, then he must be one of those who had the shootout with Frank Seide and killed him. We demand that he stop using this tragedy to score cheap points.”

The leaders also defended the presence of the Nigerian Army and other security agencies in the area, explaining that their deployment was a direct response by the federal and state governments to what they described as two separate armed invasions of Bilabiri Community by groups from Amatu 2 Community.

“It was as a result of their invasions of our community with highly sophisticated firearms that the federal government deployed the Nigerian Army to save our lives and property,” High Chief Gelu Friday explained. “We thank both the federal and state governments for this quick intervention. The security agencies are conducting legitimate patrols around Bilabiri land and its territory. To allege that they are protecting one individual is not only false but a terrible insult to the professionalism of our armed forces.”

The Bilabiri leaders further alleged that internal crises within their kingdom were being sponsored by elements from Amatu in an effort to seize resources and keep the Bilabiri people in a state of permanent disunity.

“All the internal crises in our communities in Bilabiri Kingdom are being sponsored by Amatu communities to take over our resources,” Chief Opumor alleged. “They are accusing the security agencies out of fear because of the hidden militants and firearms they used in terrorising us. The army went to patrol our land and territory on that fateful day, and that is their constitutional duty.”

The statement comes amid ongoing tensions over what the Bilabiri leaders described as an intrusion into Bilabiri land by Amatu groups in the Agoliyo area. They maintained that there is no mutual land dispute, but rather a deliberate encroachment and attempt by Amatu to seize territory they said rightfully belongs to Bilabiri Kingdom.

“We want to make it clear: this is not a land dispute. It is an intrusion on Bilabiri land,” Paebi Samson emphasised. “Amatu groups have invaded our territory, attacked our people, and now seek to use propaganda to justify their aggression. We call on the Federal Government, Bayelsa State Government, and relevant security authorities to investigate the real sponsors of violence, the hidden firearms used against our people, and this unlawful intrusion.”

The community leaders appealed to residents of Amatu, Agoliyo, and Bilabiri to remain calm and refrain from actions capable of worsening the situation. They also urged media organisations to verify claims from all sides before publication to avoid being used as instruments of communal hostility.