Diri: Bayelsa Won’t Return to Dark Days

•  Imposes curfew, suspends chieftaincy, youth activities 

Olusegun Samuel izzzZn Yenagoa

Governor Duoye Diri of Bayelsa State has said the state will not go back to the dark days when insecurity held sway.

This came as the state security council has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the Nembe-Basambiri community in Nembe Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

Speaking shortly upon his arrival in Yenagoa where he was received by hundreds of supporters, Diri stated that Bayelsa has moved forward and will continue to make progress rather than retrogress. 

He said his administration had made great developmental strides in less than four years compared to the five years of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the November election, Chief Timipre Sylva when he ruled as governor of the state.

He cited phase one of the Glory Drive road project, which his administration completed, saying Sylva spent N9billion on the same road with nothing to show for it. 

 Diri urged the people not to be deceived by the antics of the opposition, saying Sylva had been tried before but failed woefully and was publicly rejected by Bayelsans.

 The state’s helmsman expressed optimism that President Bola Tinubu, who he said had a history of fighting for democracy, would provide a level playing field and called on the people to disregard threats by the opposition of using federal might to win the election.

He said: “I thank the youths and every one of you for this warm reception.

“Our administration has succeeded in bringing peace to the state and we will continue to keep Bayelsa safe and secure for everyone. 

 “We cannot go back to Egypt. When they were governor, on paper they claimed they spent N9billion on the same Glory Drive project that we have now done and they did just about 50 metres.

“Stand firm in your units. Nobody owns Bayelsa more than you. The Federal Government will not come and kill you. Your vote must count. The Federal Government is headed by a Democrat. So, ignore the talk of federal might”.

 The governor was received by a colourful crowd of mainly tricycle (keke) riders, youths and women from the Bayelsa airport, at the Etegwe/Edegwe roundabout and the Government House gate.

Meanwhile, the State Security Council has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the Nembe-Basambiri community in the Nembe Local Government Area of the state.

The curfew period is between 7 pm and 6 am daily until further notice.

 Rising from an expanded emergency security council meeting presided by Governor Diri, the council urged all security agencies in the state to enforce the order. 

 Briefing journalists at the end of the meeting in Government House, Yenagoa, Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, retired Commissioner of Police, Akpoebi Agberebi, said the council also suspended all youth and chieftaincy activities in the community.

It also resolved that the youth president in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) be further investigated and prosecuted if found wanting.

According to Agberebi, the council called for the timely investigation and prosecution of all youths arrested and presented to the police if found guilty.

 Others to be arrested and prosecuted if found wanting include those mentioned in petitions by the community for their alleged involvement in the February 15, 2023 killings in the community.

 The Security Adviser added that the council called on the Acting Inspector General of Police to withdraw the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team and allow the military joint task force already in Nembe-Bassambiri to take charge of the security situation in the troubled community.

 He vowed that the security agencies and members of the council will implement the resolutions until peace returns to the community. 

 In his opening remarks, Governor Diri assured the people of Bassambiri that he would do everything possible to bring peace to the community.

He stated that those who perpetrated violence in the same community prior to the election in 2019 wanted to repeat the same ugly incident but vowed that the government would prevent it.