*Threatens To Remove Any Traditional Ruler Who Abandons Domain
BAYELSA State Governor, Douye Diri, during a visit to Igbomotoru 2 in Southern Ijaw Local Council said 20 youths were killed after soldiers invaded the community in search of suspected killers of 17 military personnel in Okuama, Delta State, on March 14, this year.
Diri’s visit came exactly one month after the military stormed the riverine community on March 17.
A minute silence was observed in honour of the slain soldiers.
Addressing the leadership and cross section of the community at Igbomotoru Town Hall, the governor condemned the brutal killing of the soldiers, saying it was unfortunate that what happened in Delta State was being felt by the people of the community.
He urged the military authorities to continue with painstaking investigation to unveil the killers and their sponsors, adding that all those involved must be brought to justice.
Diri, accompanied by the Commanding Officer, 16 Brigade of the Nigeria Army in Yenagoa, Brig-Gen. Oluremi Obolo; Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof Nibofa Ayawei; Ambassador Boladei Igali and other government officials, warned the youth that the era of militancy in Ijaw land was over and what is now obtainable is intellectual engagement.
The governor, who was making his first public statement after the incident, commended the military high command for ensuring that what happened in Odi in 1999 did not recur in Igbomotoru.
He said: “I have come to meet with you, the Igbomotoru community, that enough is enough. In every season, there is a time for everything. The era of militancy is over and this is the era of intellectual engagement. This is what your government is set to do and your government has been doing.
“Ijaw people are very intelligent people, we can compete with anybody anywhere in the world, and we should not be seen as cannon folders. This is a warning to all of those who are still cannon folders to have a rethink.
“Your government is establishing schools, particularly school with skills acquisition, science and technical colleges, even empowering programmes, and we want our youths to key into it and drop their guns.
“Youths cannot take over leadership of the community by force, that is what we have started seeing in our communities, and this again will be a warning to all of our traditional rulers, they must stay at home to lead the people and any traditional ruler that is not found in his base, I will promptly remove that traditional ruler.”
He added: “My advice to the military is that they must painstakingly investigate the killings in Okuama to ascertain those that are culpable, so that innocent people will not be sacrificed.
“The truth is what Ijaw people want and those behind the killings in Okuama should be properly investigated and unveil to the Nigerian public. They should face the wrath of the law. That is my humble appeal to the Nigerian military and all the security agencies.
“Those who must have sponsored even the killers should all be brought to book. You cannot imagine soldiers who are actually expected to secure us as civilians being brutally murdered in broad daylight. What are we looking for, is it the oil?
“Has oil actually become a curse in Ijaw nation rather than a blessing to Ijaw land? Has oil become a curse to Bayelsa State rather than a blessing to the people of Bayelsa State?
“That is why very efficient, uncorrupted investigations should be launched; who knows if oil is part of what has led to these killings. We hear it is land issues. Until the investigations are revealed, we will not know what truly caused this brutal killing of our security men. Nobody has the powers to take the life of another man.
“We cannot go back to the days of Isaac Adaka Boro; this is a different era. Thank you for your patience and I believe that this will not happen again, not only in Igbomotoru community, but also in all of our communities in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, Bayelsa State and indeed in Ijaw land.”
Diri charged the people of Igbomotoru 1 and 2 communities to return home, saying the Nigerian Army had assured the state government of their safety.
