Armed Invasion: Bayelsa Community Seeks FG’s Intervention
Olusegun Samuel in Yenagoa
The Royal Throne and the entire Opu-Nembe community in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State has called on the federal and Bayelsa State Government as well as the entire security architecture in the country to come to their rescue from the continuous armed attack and invasion of the community.
In a press conference at Opu-Nembe town hall, which was addressed by the Chairman of Opu-Nembe Council of Chiefs, Chief Ezekiel Ikoli, they urged the security agencies to save them from repeated attack and put a stop to the dastardly act as many has now turned refuges in other communities.
He said their ordeal began on February 15, 2023, where the community was heavy attack at about 9 p.m. which lasted till 6a.m.
Ikoli said: “In the attack, three persons were brutally murdered-Mr. Bait Agala, Miss Queen Kieriseiyei and Mr. Inikio Walter-as well as several others who sustained various degree of injuries resulting from gunshot and other forms of weapons used by the attackers.
“The present attack was a well-coordinated armed attack that started from the house of the Youth President of Opu-Nembe Kingdom, Ayeritei Moses, wherein despite the murders, property worth millions of naira were destroyed in Opu-Nembe community.
“A similar attack was also carried out on July 11, 2021, in Opu-Nembe which resulted in the death of one Ibeimo Victor and a great number of persons badly injured from gunshot and other weapons used.”
Chief Ikoli, who named the mastermind of these attacks, said he is an indigene of the kingdom with several others with the help of some hired militants from other communities.
He said the royal throne and the entire community have on several occasions petitioned the perpetrators to various security outfits across the country with no action taken as the mastermind prides himself as above the law, boasting that no security outfit in the country can invite him, talk more of arresting him.
He alleged that the same man is single handedly handling the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC) Limited security contract in Bayelsa and Rivers States.
While raising the alarm that the perpetrators are still calling for more attacks, he said the people who attacked Opu-Nembe are well known to people in the communities and the security agencies.
While he specially thank the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, for his timely condemnation of the deadly attacks, he regretted that despite all the efforts of the state government, the culprits are still seen freely moving about with police escort and also being protected by certain highly placed individuals.
Ikoli said: “The people of Opu-Nembe
