Anguish and trepidation now pervades Finima Community in Bonny Island as a kingship tussle turns bloody
By Chinedu Oguh, Port Harcourt
There is palpable tension in Finima town, host community of the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), Bonny, Rivers State, as the city watches the developing situation in one of its most prominent traditional seats.
The struggle for autonomy amid internal house wranglings has turned bloody with a violent duel during the yearly “Fongu Cultural Festival” penultimate Saturday, 22 August, 2026.
Tentacle gathered that a young man’s hand was severed in the altercation, while several others were wounded and some houses torched.
Over the years, the relationship with the central traditional authority has become strained as three houses — Buoye Omuso, Attoni, and Tobin — battle for royalty in Finima.
The situation has been the result of several years of quest by Finima for autonomy and rights as host community to the NLNG. While the monarchy and traditional head of Bonny has remained in the Amanyanabo, many indigenes consider the new agitation by Finima as a threat to the traditional structure of the ancient kingdom.
The Brown Major House is one of the 35 houses in Bonny Kingdom and among the three in Finima Community; the others are the Attoni and Tobin Houses.
Tentacle learnt that problems began some years ago over ascension to the throne as the house decided to conduct an election among qualified candidates to choose a successor to the throne despite having a “consensus candidate”.
A source close to the Brown House Palace who was not authorized to speak to the press on the matter told Tentacle that the chieftaincy issue had lingered for almost a year before the recent clash led to bloodshed.
The source said: “Someone won the election though he was absent during the process. It caused litigation and the case lingered until a few months ago when it got the attention of the King, Amanyanabo Asimini William-Dappa Pepple, who called both parties to resolve the matter.
“The matter was withdrawn from court on condition that a report would be sent to magistrates on the findings and recommendations of the house. We were shocked when we heard that some crisis erupted again and Lambert was crowned king of the entire Finima community with Attoni and Tobin included. They crowned him ‘The Amadabo’ which means ‘king’ or ‘community king’ and not ‘Seme-Alabo’ which means ‘community head’.
“The source said that they did not present him to the palace for recognition by King William Dappa-Pepple. The king called on the leaders of Brown Major House to crown Evans Buoye-Brown chief of the house as he was the one who won the election in the first place,” the source added.
Meanwhile, the Buoye Omuso Brown Founding and Ruling House of Finima has called for urgent intervention by the security agencies, Rivers State government, and other relevant authorities to prevent further deterioration of the situation.
In a statement titled “SOS on Looming Invasion of Finima to Unleash Anarchy” signed by its Administrative Secretary, Amasenibo Vivian Daps Brown, the Amadabo-in-Council raised concerns over alleged moves by the Bonny Chiefs Council, led by Se-Alabo (Amb) Dagogo Claude Wilcox, to support a faction of the Tobin Chieftaincy House.
The Ruling House alleged that the development could cause unrest and threaten peace in Finima, particularly in relation to activities scheduled for August 22 and October 31, 2026.
It said its concerns followed a statement allegedly issued by the Bonny Chiefs Council on August 17, 2026, which it claimed could trigger actions capable of threatening the stability of the community.
The community which hosts the Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) complex was said to have been thrown into panic after early morning attacks by gunmen who reportedly stormed the residence of the Amadabo of Finima, Aseme Alabo Dagogo Lambert Brown, on Saturday, August 22, 2026.
The attack reportedly extended beyond the monarch’s residence, with the home of another resident, Alabo Tuwonimi, also targeted. An indigene identified as Ibiwari Brown allegedly suffered a severe injury with the hand reportedly cut off by the attackers. The violence reportedly forced disruption of business activities for hours; houses, cars, and other valuables were torched, and gunshots boomed.
The development heightened fears of further violence in the community, coming amid an ongoing dispute involving traditional institutions and chieftaincy interests in Finima.
Reacting to the incident, the Chairman of Bonny Local Government Area, Amasenibo Hon. Abinye Blessing Pepple, directed the immediate suspension of all events and cultural activities in Finima Community.
The council boss strongly condemned the violence and warned that any attempt by individuals or groups to undermine the security architecture of Bonny Local Government Area would be firmly resisted.
The Chairman urged residents of Finima and the entire Bonny Local Government Area to remain calm, vigilant, and law-abiding, assuring them that the security situation was being closely monitored.
The Ruling House said the dispute originated in 2024 when a faction of Tobin Chieftaincy House, led by Dagogo Joseph Tobin, reportedly initiated moves to establish what it described as the “Tobin House Owu-Ogbo” based on claims of ownership of Finima.
The Ruling House rejected the move, maintaining that the history and origins of Finima were well established and had been validated by courts of competent jurisdiction. It insisted that historical facts should not be manipulated for personal or political interest.
According to the statement, Finima had traditionally operated as one united community with common socio-cultural institutions, including a single Opu-Ogbo, Nwantam society, and Okonko club.
The Amadabo-in-Council said these institutions had historically served as symbols of unity among the various chieftaincy houses, noting that respected leaders from Tobin House had participated in them without creating parallel structures.
