Follow Us on Google
From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Governor Douye Diri on Saturday visited Nembe Bassambiri, Nembe Local Government Area amidst protest from people of the community following the imposition of dusk to dawn curfew.
The community had been plunged into crisis following clashes among youths of the community which led to the destruction of some houses and polarization of the Chiefs council forcing the Inspector- General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun to deploy the Police Mobile Force and the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit to restore peace to the community.
Diri had on Friday after an expanded emergency security meeting imposed the curfew on the community while also suspending all chieftaincy and youth activities in the community.
However on Saturday when Diri led the state security council including his deputy, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo and former deputy-governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (rtd), the Chairman of the Traditional Rulers Council, HRM Bubaraye Dakolo and the President of the Ijaw National Congress(INC), Prof Benjamin Okaba, the people of the community expressed their displeasure.
Majority of the aggrieved people who were women gathered at the Town Hall had placards with inscriptions such as “IGP, Opu- Nembe People Are Saying Thank You For Making Peace in Our Land”, “Diri Opu- Nembe People Are Living In Peace with the Presence of SWAT Team”, “There is Peace in Opu- Nembe, Don’t Impose Curfew on Us”, “We Don’t want curfew, we need Light and Water”.
Amidst the protest, Diri had to leave the Town Hall for a meeting with the Police team at their base where he appealed to them to be professional in their operations.
At Ogbolomabiri community, Diri met with some people of Bassambiri seeking refuge in the community and assured them of his desire to ensure lasting peace returns to the community.
According to him the crisis in Nembe Bassambiri is political, chieftaincy and economic, which the government is determined to resolve.
He appealed to the people to embrace peace so that development can be accelerated in the community.
“I am here as governor to come and see things for myself. I have gone to Bassambiri and I am now here because I was told that some of you that ran away from Bassambiri out of fear are here in Ogbolomabiri. My message is peacefulness. Even before we assumed office Nembe has always been a flash point and where there is no peace, there cannot be development. We don’t want you to live in fear. We are doing everything to bring peace. Bassambiri issues are politically, chieftaincy and economically. We are concerned about the welfare of all of you. I have spoken to the security men in Bassambiri because every life in Bassambiri is important to us.”
