Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has called on the security agencies to investigate the violence that rocked the Tungbabiri community of Sagbama Local Government Area at the weekend.
Dickson, in a statement by his Director of Strategic Communications, Nathan Egba-Ologo, said the security agencies, especially the police, should investigate and bring all the culprits involved in the violence that led to the killing of a citizen in the area, to book.
He said his administration has always emphasised the need to have violence-free electoral campaigns in Bayelsa, and will not tolerate any act that would threaten the peace in the state.
He urged the police to ensure the arrest and prosecution of those behind the death of the victim, as well as the thugs who burnt houses and destroyed property in the community.
The governor advised the leadership of opposition parties in the state to avoid capitalising on the unfortunate incident to foment crisis.
He stressed that a planned protest rally by some opposition elements in the state was unnecessary, adding that the security agencies should be allowed to do their jobs without interference from any quarters.
“Let me make it clear, once, again, that this government has zero tolerance for political violence. I condemn all forms of political violence, irrespective of political parties. As a government, we have made it clear we are committed to peaceful election in the state.
I call on the police authorities and all the relevant security agencies to investigate and bring all the perpetrators of this needless violence to book. The police should arrest the killers of the deceased and those who burnt the houses at Tungbabiri, and ensure they are prosecuted in accordance with the stipulations of the law. We have information that some leaders of opposition parties are planning a protest rally. I wish to advise them to act in the interest of peace and stability of Bayelsa. The security agencies are already working on the Tungbabiri incident. A protest which could be hijacked by hoodlums to wreak violence is not what Bayelsa needs a few days to the election,” the governor said in the statement
Meanwhile, members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State, yesterday, staged a peaceful protest to the Bayelsa Police Command, demanding the arrest of suspected thugs who killed an APC supporter, during a rally in Tungbobiri, Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
Braye Embikorobiri was killed by suspected thugs of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) at the weekend, during a campaign rally of the APCs’ candidate for Bayelsa West Senatorial District, Capt Matthew Karimo.