By Dede Johnson
A prominent Ogoni traditional ruler, King Suanu T. Y. Baridam, has survived an assassination attempt in Rivers State, prompting calls for a thorough police investigation.
The incident occurred on Sunday night along the Okwale–Taabaa Road as the monarch, the Kasimene the Seventh of the Ancient Bangha Kingdom in Khana Local Government Area, was returning from a peace mission.
According to a statement by the palace spokesman, Professor L. C. Micah, the King was ambushed by suspected assassins and sustained a gunshot injury to the thigh, resulting in severe blood loss.
The palace described the attack as a cowardly act against a traditional ruler carrying out his constitutional and traditional responsibility of promoting peace.
It noted that this was not the first attempt on the monarch’s life, recalling a similar incident in October 2024 in Eleme Local Government Area.
The palace has called on the Rivers State Police Command and other security agencies to conduct an independent investigation and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
Meanwhile, the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre, YEAC-Nigeria, also condemned the attack, describing it as an assault on the traditional institution and a threat to peace in Ogoniland and the Niger Delta.
The group urged the police to intensify investigations and appealed to the Rivers State Government to provide adequate security for the monarch and residents of the area.
