By Sandra Kenneth
The traditional ruler of Finima Community in Bonny Local Government Area, His Royal Highness Aseme Alabo Dagogo Lambert Brown, narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in the early hours of Saturday, August 22, 2026.
Gunmen stormed the monarch’s compound between 3:00 AM and 4:00 AM, firing heavily at the residential buildings housing the living quarters of the monarch and other occupants. Although the monarch was not inside the building during the attack, several members of the household sustained severe injuries. The victims were rushed to nearby emergency rooms for urgent medical care.
Accusations and Calls for Investigation
Condemning the violence, HRH Aseme Alabo Dagogo Lambert Brown revealed that community leadership had previously received intelligence reports concerning the influx of hired thugs into the area. He accused the Bonny Traditional Authorities of backing a faction of the Tobin House to incite unrest, alleging that the attack was a deliberate attempt to intimidate him and his administration.
The monarch called on law enforcement agencies to conduct a thorough investigation, apprehend the perpetrators, and bring their sponsors to justice.
The Amadabo-in-Council of the Buoye Omuso Brown Founding and Ruling House of Finima had earlier expressed alarm regarding actions by the Bonny Chiefs Council, led by Se-Alabo Dagogo Soala Claude-Wilcox. The Council warned that a statement issued by the Bonny Chiefs Council on August 17, 2026, laid the groundwork for instability and threatened the peaceful co-existence of the community.
Following a visit to the scene of the attack, the Chairman of the Bonny Local Government Council, Abiye Blessing-Pepple, strongly condemned the incident and urged security forces to track down and prosecute those responsible. To prevent further escalation and maintain order, the Council Chairman announced the immediate cancellation of all events scheduled to take place in Finima for the day.
