The planned congress of the Jumbo Major House Youth Association (JMHYA) has been postponed indefinitely due to threats of violence from suspected hoodlums.

Chairman of the Jumbo Major House Elders Council, Wari-Alabo Sodienye Jumbo confirmed this to Kristina Reports over the phone on Saturday, November 4, 2023 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

On his part, Secretary to the Bonny Local Government Council, Ralph Jamaica also confirmed this development to Kristina Reports, noting that the local government, having received petitions and intelligence reports on threats of violence, had to take pre-emptive measures in line with its primary mandate of protecting lives and properties.

The congress, which was billed to hold at the Jumbo Major House Opuwari on Sunday, November 5, 2023, was announced by the President of the JMHYA, Silvestre Idanye.

Upon the announcement, sources told Kristina Reports that suspected hoodlums, allegedly acting on the orders of a self-acclaimed chief who was recently ousted by the court on contempt charges, began sending threat messages to different individuals warning against holding the meeting.

Another set of individuals also wrote petitions to both the Bonny Local Government Council and the Nigeria Police Force in Bonny demanding that the meeting be put off.

A top official within the government hinted Kristina Reports that threat assessments conducted by the local government in conjunction with the security agencies indicated that it was risky allowing the congress to hold.

This led to the decision by the Local Government to advise the Jumbo Major House Elders Council to call off the meeting.  

The JMHYA President, Silvestre Idanye told Kristina Reports that “nothing is lost; we’re more concerned about the security threats, we don’t want any youth of Jumbo Major House to be hurt by anyone”.

“We have resolved to continue to work with the relevant authorities to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our youths and to pursue objectives that are in their best interest.”  

“Our tenure in office as executives is over and that’s why we’re activating a transition process to bring in a new leadership for the youths of the House. It’s a transparent process that brought us into office and we want to entrench same as we bow out; so, we’ll see this process out.” 

The Jumbo Major House Youth Association (JMHYA) is a critical component of the Jumbo Major House of Bonny Kingdom, as well as the representative body and convergence point for all youths of the House.