Bayelsa probes killings, vows to prosecute perpetrators

The Bayelsa State Government on Friday said it had launched investigations into the violence that left three youths dead and many others injured in Brass Local Government Area of the state.

The government vowed to ensure the arrest and prosecution of all the hoodlums including high-profile politicians fingered in the bloody clash.

Brass, an oil-rich local government area, has been on the spotlight for bloody clashes involving thugs suspected to be members of the two dominant political parties in the area – the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Speaking in Government House, Yenagoa,the State Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah (retd.), also confirmed the nine-hour curfew (9pm to 6am) imposed in the area saying it remained in force.

Jonah said preliminary investigations showed that the mayhem was sponsored by some highly-placed individuals for political purposes.

He said the state government directed the law enforcement agencies to ensure thorough investigation into the activities of the hoodlums and ensure the prosecution of all persons indicted despite their statuses.

Jonah urged all good people of the state, especially the people of Brass to remain law-abiding, insisting that the government would take all necessary lawful measures to maintain peace, law and order.

He said: “It has come to the knowledge of the state government that on Wednesday, August 15, 2018, some hoodlums at Ada-Ama, Twon-Brass in Brass LGA of the state attacked peace loving members of Twon-Brass community with knives, guns and other dangerous weapons and injuring several persons and destroying property valued several millions of naira.

“The said persons kept the entire Twon-Brass community under seige for several days and perpetrated mindless violence in the community. Security personnel eventually arrested some of the hoodlums with guns and other dangerous weapons along with very substantial sums of money.

“Men of the Nigeria Police only succeeded in bringing the situation under control on Wednesday, August 22, 2018.

“The state government is greatly dismayed that Twon-Brass, which is a major oil exporting terminal in the country is recently being used by non-state actors as a hub of criminal activities with its attendant adverse effect on the economy of not only the state, but of the entire country.

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“The state government has consequently imposed curfew in Twon-Brass from 9pm to 6am. All residents of the area are expected to comply with the curfew, which will be lifted as soon as normacy is restored.”

Also, the Caretaker Chairman, Brass LGA, Victor Isaiah, and a member representing Brasa Constituency 1 in the State House of Assembly, Israel Sunny-Goli, are at loggerheads over the bloody clash that occurred on Monday.

It was learnt that the victims of the clash were suspected thugs loyal to Isaiah and Sunny-Goli of the PDP and the APC respectively.

The APC on Thursday sent a protest letter to the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, over the incident, claiming that two of its members were killed in the violent attack by PDP thugs.

But Isaiah countered the allegation, saying that the thugs were sponsored by Sunny-Goli.

Isaiah distanced the PDP from the violence, alleging that the youths made attempt on his life by attacking his personal lodge with guns and other dangerous weapons.

He said attempts by the alleged APC thugs to gain entrance into his official lodge were resisted by the LGA security volunteers group.

Isaiah said: “A few days ago, some suspected armed APC youths attacked the local government council aid and PDP youths. Now, they attempted to assassinate me but met my absence and were resisted by our security volunteers.

“One of the dead thugs, Kelly Ikurusi, the mastermind and leader of the Monday, August 20 failed assassination attempt on my life is a member of the APC in Brass and a known notorious criminal and cultist who escaped from police Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Yenagoa last year.

“Before his death, he was under police wanted list for breaking out of police (SARS) custody. After the successful cell break, he ran to Brass and was provided refuge by the APC chieftain.”
“The reports of his misdemeanors are  known in Brass as he is daily fingered for armed robbery, snatching of phones, harassment of indigenes, among others”

He called on the Federal Government, the Inspector General of Police and other relevant security agencies to probe without bias, the alleged activities of the APC chieftain and ensure security in the community.

The APC, on its part, accused the PDP of desperation to take over the area in 2019.

The party alleged that the PDP was working in consonance with some individuals, hired mercenaries and security agencies to kill and unleash mayhem, threats, intimidation, unlawful arrests and detention of opposition members across the state.

Sunny-Goli had, in a statement, alleged that the violence was allegedly initiated by the PDP through the acting Chairman, Victor Isaiah, to intimidate, kill and chase out opposition members from Brass.

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