Assa Leadership refutes allegation of harrassing Govt officials, PG being on the run, others

The Leadership of Assa Autonomous Community in Ohaji Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State has frowned at a publication they said is making rounds online that the President General of the community, Comrade Evans Reward is on the run for assaulting government officials.

They averred that “it is a lie from the pit of hell” as there was no assault in the first place which should make their PG to be on the run.

They explained that they had a peaceful conversation with the members of an organization known as HOSCON, who left peacefully after they made them understand that what they had come to the community to handle is a community matter.

They therefore wondered why the alleged speculation that they beat up and harassed government officials.

They; the PG; Comrade Evans Reward, Youth leader; Egbula Chibuzo, Director of Social in Assa; Comrade Ifurueze Victor, Umuokoroka Landlord; Umah Kingsley, former PG, and community leader, Chief David Egbula, among others who were present – Vice PG; Timothy Ojika, Assistant Financial Secretary; Ejimadu Festus, other leaders; Uzoma Dominic, and Stanley Obodo, stated this on Sunday in Owerri, the state capital, while addressing newsmen on the issue.

Speaking the PG who is also the State Chairman of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, Comrade Evans Reward averred, “My attention was drawn to an online publication dated 6th July 2025 that me, the PG of Assa Autonomous Community has gone into hiding over alleged hiring of thugs who beat and attempted to kidnap government officials on duty at a location where WaterSmith is doing drilling.

“My response to this is that we, the leadership of Assa Autonomous Community were informed by the villagers that in Assa there was an issue on the said date; 6th of July, as some set of individuals from an organization called HOSCON came into the community to disturb the drilling activities going on there, mostly in Umuobi of Assa. So I, and my executives, the youth president and other executives drove to the point where we met the HOSCON members that came from the Ministry of Niger Delta to investigate land dispute between two factional Kindreds without prior notice of the community leadership; traditional ruler, the town union, even the Local Government Chairman of Ohaji Egbema.

“So we approached them and asked who they were, they gave us an identity card bearing HOSCON Chairman and member. Some of them were also staff of ISOPADEC, so we told them that the activity they came in for does not warrant them to meddle into as it is community affair which should be handled by the leadership of the community. So we peacefully told them to leave the environment with 8 security men, 5 soldiers within that camp axis, the community relations of WaterSmith and others from watersmith present to witness how they gently entered their vehicle, and left without any form of harassment.

“On the evening of the same day, we got an information that they are circulating that I came with my executives to beat them up, pick up there phones, and tore their clothes, among others, which never happened.

“We also recall that this same set of HOSCON has sent several letters to most of the oil operating companies in Assa community demanding them to appear before their office, that they are in charge of oil and gas in Imo State. I have sent the letters to the Ministry of Petroleum, LGA Chairman of Egbema to caution this set of association; HOSCON that does not exist in either Assa community or in community in Ohaji Egbema, as we are surprise that they, the HOSCON lying under the Ministry of Niger Delta being headed by the Honourable Minister of Niger Delta Affairs are meddling into the activities of the oil companies in the community.

“Also few months ago, investors called Hamakan who are into CNG gas came into the community to acquire land in Assa community and set up a company in Assa for CNG operation, the same HOSCON intercepted them, and warned them not to try dealing with the community without first of all meeting them as the people who are in charge of oil and gas in Imo State. So we have been having issues with this HOSCON organization.

“The Commissioner for Niger Delta Affairs, Dr. Henry Okafor is the architect of this issues, and even before now as the state Chairman of NUPENG, Dr. Henry Okafor instituted a taskforce committee to be disturbing trucks loading PMS, HFO, and diesel coming into Imo State, that they must pay N10,000 each. This was drawn to my attention, and I also called the Ministry of Petroleum to dismantle the taskforce for us to freely have access to Imo State, and the taskforce was disbanded, until date, that has been the issue I have been having with the Honourable commissioner, even though he has not even seen me one on one.

“We also want the public to disregard the information that the Town Union President has been insulting the governor of the day. I am like a son of the governor. I am a PG and I was appointed by the government of the day, on this note, there was never a time I insulted the state governor, or any member of my leadership insult the government of the day over any issue. Also, there has never been a time the leadership of Assa Community intercepted or beat any government official coming into Assa community.

“So I want the public to understand that the information going viral is from those who want to tarnish my image, leadership, and personality, they are anti-government. I am not hiding, neither am I on the run, as I am part of this government, ‘Evans asserted’.

Adding his voice, the Youth President of Assa Autonomous Community, Egbula Chibuzo reiterated, “Hon. Henry Okafor, and the HOSTCOM people have been stressing and sabotaging the activities of the oil companies in Assa, as they have written several letters to the oil companies threatening them to come to their office before operating in Assa, saying that anyone that does not come, will be shut down. They said they will deal with the leadership of Assa for refusing the oil companies from responding to their invite, which I believe is why they are spreading this false information. The President General is not on the run like they are speculating for we went to the village for a meeting yesterday, did the same today, and now we are in Owerri. So he cannot be on the run, because he is appointed by the government, and he a public figure.

“We therefore plead with the governor to call the commissioner to order, and direct him to leave the leadership of the community alone as the oil companies have been approved operating in the community a long time ago, and the leadership of the community has been doing everything humanly possible to keep the community peaceful,’Egbula averred’.

Speaking also, The Director of Social for Assa Autonomous Community, Comrade Victor Ifurueze stated, ” Our PG is not on the run, the information is barbaric, from the pit of hell, and formed to decive the public. On that note, I want to specifically call on the state government to call Henry Okafor the Commissioner for Niger Delta Affairs to order. Yes he is from Oguta, but Oguta and Ohaji Egbema are sister LGA, so we feel pained that he is inciting crisis in Assa. We feel pained that our own brother who ought to be working in line with the directive of the State government is now doing everything possible to destabilize the progress that the oil companies have been making in Assa. The leadership of Assa will not seat down, and watch them draw the name of the community to the mould.”

Umah Kingsley who is a landlord from Umuokoroka and Member of Umuokoroka Contact Team clarified, “I want to tell you all that Umuokoroka is peaceful, we don’t have any issues with WalterSmith oil company. They have paid us, and we have an agreement with them. It was unfortunate that last week we got an information from our people that there are people called HOSCON and have come to distract the activities of the rig at Umuokoroka land. Those people came without informing the leadership of the community. We went there and told them to leave the place, and peacefully they left. I plead with the government to tell Hon. Henry to stop instigating crisis in Assa community, which is peaceful, and will remain peaceful.”

Also adding his voice, former PG, and community leader, Chief David Egbula hinted, “It’s important to know that Assa an oil bearing community has leadership and all issues patterning to oil and its exploration and drilling in Assa is being handled by Assa community and supervised by the Ministry of Petroleum. It’s worthy of note that before this particular rig move, Assa community has sharing formula of 60/40 %. 60% to the community on all issues and 40% to the land owners on all issues patterning to job slots, sub-contracts and other benefits. Therefore, we make bold to say that the leadership of the community headed by the President General is not on the run and cannot be on the run.

“The Governor, Sen. Hope Uzodinma loves Assa Autonomous community as Assa is one of the Community he has visited more than once which shows his love for Assa Community and the Town Union Executive being so appointed by the Governor through his Local Government Chairman, cannot and will not as it is inconsistent with our character to abuse the Governor. Anybody who says the Town Union abused the governor should produce such video record where such statements were made. Hence they can not, we can now see that these are fabricated lies, these are instigators of trouble, these are people who want to create confusion in Assa Community.

“We also wish to state categorically clear that the activities of Ministry of Niger Delta through HOSCON is sabotaging the activities of the Governor in making sure that all the oil companies in Assa have a conducive environment to operate, giving that we’re sure that Assa is peace loving and will remain loyal to the Governor, we will ensure that the Governor’s policies of making sure that Assa and Imo State will develop through these oil companies are implemented. We can not sabotage a government we’re part of. We are saying that these activities are unbecoming of a Honourable Commissioner in the person of Dr. Henry Okafor, and we’re calling for people to disregard this falsehood and the government should call him to order,’Egbula averred’.

Reaching out to the Commissioner of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and Intelligence, Hon. Henry Okafor, on phone, he stated,”the only thing I understand is that some people from Assa wrote petition to my office that WalterSmith is on their land and they have not paid them, we invited WalterSmith and WalterSmith acknowledged that they will go to Assa and if the operation includes part of their land, they will pay those people. That is what I know. That meeting was between WalterSmith and the petitioners, my office is responsible for host communities and oil companies affairs. My Ministry nominated three persons to go there and witness and they went there and some people mobilized youth to beat up the people that came for the supervision,’Okafor asserted’.

Also contacting the Imo State HOSCON Chairman, Engr. Chima Alvan Okereke he said that Assa autonomous community is having problems with the Imo State Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, not HOSCON.