Avoid Encroaching On Our Lands Or… – Jumbo House Group Warns Brown House Youths 

The Jumbo Major House Peace and Restoration Movement has advised the Brown Major House of Finima in Bonny Kingdom to desist from stoking avoidable crisis with the Jumbo Major House by sending its youths to encroach on lands belonging to the latter.

The group gave this advice on Sunday, January 19, 2025, via a statement signed by its Chairman, Samuel Jumbo and made exclusively available to Kristina Reports in Bonny, Rivers State.

It frowned at certain actions reportedly taken by youths of Brown Major House, some which include extortion of residents of the Workers Village, harassment of business people and general encroachment.

It consequently called on the leadership of the Brown Major House to step back from stoking needless conflict between both Houses, further calling on the leaderships of Tobin and Attoni Houses to dissuade their youths from joining youths of Brown Major House in any criminal escapade on Jumbo Major House lands. 

The group also enjoined the security agencies to ensure no further encroachments take place in the said portions of land, stating that their failure to do so may create an atmosphere for avoidable crisis, asserting that the group would not guarantee any outcome if its warnings are not considered by the relevant security agencies.

The statement is reproduced below:

“JUMBO MAJOR HOUSE PEACE AND RESTORATION MOVEMENT

Press Statement

Our attention has been drawn to the action of youths purported to be from Brown Major House of Finima in Bonny Kingdom purporting to lay claim on the Workers Village at Workers Camp area of Bonny. We have also been informed that these youths allegedly obtained various sums of money from the companies whose workers are accommodated at the Workers Village.

This action or series of actions are an affront to the Jumbo Major House of Grand Bonny Kingdom. The acts of these youths from Brown Major House are a trespass on Jumbo Major House’s legitimate landed properties. It is an action that we cannot allow to pass and wish to state as follows:

That the area under review housing the Workers Village, Workers Camp and all the way to the Airstrip are part of lands belonging to the Jumbo Major House.

That this position is strengthened not only by history but by declarations of competent courts of law as exemplified in a judgement of the Rivers State High Court in suit number: PHC/949/1998.

That any transactions between any individual or company or organization and anybody or group or chieftaincy house in Finima with regards to that land is fraudulent and criminal and should be avoided. 

That the security agencies should ensure that no such trespass is allowed any further on those swathes of land as failure by them to do so would represent a recipe for crisis.

The Jumbo Major House Peace and Restoration Movement cannot guarantee what will happen or not happen there in the event of any further fraudulent transactions and audacious affront to our House.

That the leadership of the Attoni, Brown, and Tobin Houses should call their youths to order and restrain them from encroaching on or trespassing into lands belonging to Jumbo Major House.

We believe that a word is enough for the wise and wish the relevant authorities are alive to their responsibilities and ensure that the issue we have raised is given the necessary and speedy attention it deserves.” 

When contacted, Asawo Chairman of Brown Major House, Igbiwari Brown accused the JMH Peace and Restoration Movement of covering the truth, querying if the Jumbo Major House has any land in the Workers Camp axis, challenging them to go to court if they area sure of their ownership of the said land.

“What do you want me to respond? When truth is being covered. Does the Jumbo Major House have any land in workers village or camp? If yes, where were they when the Buoye Omuso Brown Major House gave the said area to NLNG to build the workers village? Where were the JMH when we gave TSKJ the land for them to build a workers camp? If we are encroaching on their land as claimed they should take us to court.”

“Those persons that are claiming that workers village or camp belong to JMH are criminals and will be treated as such. Are you aware that some of those persons selling our land in the workers camp are being sued and they have refused to appear?”

This has nothing to do with the BOBH. This particular case (PHC/949/1998) was between them and Bonny Chiefs Council. Kindly go through that document if you will see BOBH or any member of the House. Like I said earlier, if they feel we’re encroaching on their land as claimed they should take us to court.”