Residents fault police over Bonny clash, allege unequal charges

Residents of Bonny Island, Rivers State, have accused the police of bias and injustice in their handling of a violent clash between the Tobin and Brown families, alleging that the authorities have treated the two sides differently in the investigation and prosecution of the incident.

The residents expressed outrage over the arraignment of the head of the Tobin family, Elder Darlinton Tobin, and other members of his family on charges of attempted murder, while allegedly treating members of the rival Brown family more leniently by charging five of them with misdemeanour offences.

They alleged that the police’s handling of the case had created the impression that the authorities were favouring the Brown family, warning that such perceived double standards could encourage oppression and undermine public confidence in law enforcement.

The crisis reportedly erupted on August 22, 2026, when suspected armed hoodlums allegedly attacked the Tobin family compound, leaving several people from both families injured.

It was gathered that the dispute stemmed from a disagreement over participation in an annual cultural festival in Bonny Island. The head of the Brown family, Lambert Dagogo, was alleged to have vowed that the Tobin family would not be allowed to participate in the festival.

A resident, who spoke to newsmen on condition of anonymity, accused the police of mishandling the matter.

“The police have disappointed the people of Bonny Island with the way they have handled this matter.

“The Tobin family were the victims of the attack. Although both families suffered casualties during the violent incident, the Tobin family was attacked in its compound with guns and machetes. They had video evidence, which the police allegedly ignored. No one should expect them to fold their arms in the face of such an attack,” the resident said.

According to the source, each family had been assigned dates to perform its annual cultural rites in Bonny Island, with the Tobin family scheduled to perform on August 22, 2026, while the Brown family had already conducted its own performance.

“Surprisingly, early on August 22, when the Tobin family was preparing for the festival, some armed hoodlums attacked them, leaving several people injured.

“Instead of addressing the attack, the police arrested and detained the head of the Tobin family, despite the fact that they were the victims,” the resident alleged.

The source said the family head was subsequently released following the intervention of well-meaning Nigerians.

The resident further alleged that, rather than arresting those accused of carrying out the attack, the police repeatedly directed the Tobin family to report to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for questioning.

According to the source, members of the Brown family allegedly failed to honour invitations to the SCID on several occasions.

Another resident, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, claimed that the dispute over the cultural rites had repeatedly generated tension between the two families over the years.

“Over the years, the cultural rites have often been a source of conflict between the Brown and Tobin families. The Brown family has allegedly insisted that the Tobin family must not participate in the festival, despite the absence of any court order prohibiting its participation,” the resident said.

The source added that the dispute had persisted despite the intervention of the local government chairman and other community leaders.

It was further gathered that, during one of the visits to the SCID, the head of the Tobin family was again detained alongside other family members. They were subsequently charged with attempted murder, while the police reportedly sought a warrant to keep them in custody.

The residents alleged that the police adopted a different approach in dealing with the Brown family, claiming that five of its members were arrested and charged with misdemeanour offences before being granted bail.

In contrast, members of the Tobin family were reportedly remanded in a correctional centre because of the gravity of the charges against them.

The residents also pointed to the injuries sustained by members of both families as evidence of the severity of the clash. According to them, one member of the Brown family allegedly suffered a machete injury to the hand, while a member of the Tobin family sustained a deep machete wound to the head.

They questioned why the Tobin family members were charged with attempted murder while those accused of inflicting serious injuries on their relatives allegedly faced lesser charges.

The residents further recalled that the Tobin family’s counsel, Olayinka Sanni, had, during a meeting with the Rivers State Commissioner of Police last month, accused the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the SCID of bias and unprofessional conduct.

The allegations were reportedly denied at the meeting. However, the residents claimed that subsequent developments in the case had reinforced their concerns.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State Command, ASP Blessing Agabe, said she had yet to receive a briefing from the SCID on the matter.

She promised to make inquiries and get back to our correspondent but had yet to do so as of the time of filing this report.

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