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Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
One person has been reportedly killed and several others injured on Friday in Sagbama Local Government Area venue of the convention of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC).
The meeting was convened to set-up the electoral committee for the forthcoming IYC worldwide election.
The IYC worldwide has been polarised over the years with Peretubo Oweilami and Eric Omare-led two factions as president.
According to investigations, crisis broke out when some youths became comfortable with the emergence of the electoral committee members chaired by one Bekewei Ajuwa, a lawyer.
It was during the ensuring violence that dangerous weapons were used which led to the death of one of the youths; several others were injured while trying to escape.
The chairman of IYC central zone, Kennedy Olorogun, expressed disappointment that cultists turned IYC convention into a theatre of war.
Olorogun disclosed that the convention was already wounding up when some youths began a violent protest against the emergence of members of the electoral committee.
He warned some stakeholders against introducing cultism into the activities of IYC as it would have grave consequences.
“Apart from the killing which was caused by the activities of some cultists, the convention was concluded and the electoral committee had been constituted. Some persons felt they were not comfortable with the electoral committee members and instead of being civil in their grievances they went violent. In IYC we have warned repeatedly against turning our activities into a theatre of war. We have also warned stakeholders against bringing cultism into our activities.”
