Bayelsa govt opposes discriminatory show of force in Opu-Nembe

This was the position of the government while reviewing the situation of the embattled community during the 119th state Executive Council meeting, held yesterday at the Government House, Yenagoa.

Governor Douye Diri, speaking through his deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, expressed concern that the security agents were quick at showing evidence of arms cache, but failed to reveal the identities of a civil defence and police personnel, as well as three other youths caught with dangerous weapons believed to be working closely with one of the masterminds of the crisis.

The governor challenged the police to parade the culprits, who had earlier confessed to working for a prime suspect in the February 15 killings in Opu Nembe.

Noting that the Bayelsa State Government was not against anyone going into the community to enforce the law, Diri stressed that shielding a known non-state actor and his group could only be seen as grave injustice to the state government and law-abiding people of the community.

He, therefore, appealed to the police hierarchy to pull out its Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) squad deployed in the area, stressing that the Joint Task Force made up of the Army, Police, Navy, Airforce, Civil Defence and DSS were capable of tackling any criminal or security threat in the state.

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Yenagoa branch, has expressed concern about the reported security issues arising from Nembe-Bassambiri in Nembe Local Government.

The Chairman, NBA Yenagoa, Somina Johnbull, in a statement yesterday by the lawyers’ body, urged the security agencies to be impartial, professional and demonstrate respect for the human rights of all in the discharge of their operations.

Johnbull also demanded that those arrested so far over the lingering crisis should be charged to court within the constitutionally prescribed period, in order for the complaints against them to be addressed.