Diri Sacks Bayelsa Monarch, Dissolves Community Structures Over Crisis
By EgbemaVoice
Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, has removed the paramount ruler of Ogboinbiri community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, Chief Okosughe Benson Eseimokumo, following a prolonged period of unrest in the area.
In addition to the monarch’s removal, the governor also dissolved the community’s council of chiefs, its Community Development Committee, and the youth leadership structure.
Diri announced the sweeping measures on Thursday at the Government House in Yenagoa, citing the need to restore order after a violent clash in the community earlier in the week. The incident reportedly resulted in loss of lives and destruction of property, prompting the state government to impose a dusk-to-dawn curfew.
To stabilise the situation, the governor directed his deputy, Peter Akpe, alongside the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Thompson Amule, to constitute an interim committee that will manage the affairs of the community pending the return of peace.
He also ordered security agencies to apprehend and prosecute individuals responsible for the violence.
Diri explained that the state government had not formally recognised Eseimokumo as the paramount ruler due to the lingering crisis, noting that repeated efforts to resolve the conflict over the past two to three years had yielded no results.
According to the governor, several interventions, including the setting up of committees and direct engagement with community leaders and youths, failed to halt the cycle of violence.
He stressed that the government would no longer tolerate killings and destruction, urging residents to embrace peace and coexistence.
The governor further warned that internal conflicts, especially in an oil-producing community like Ogboinbiri, were counterproductive, noting that the benefits accruing to the community were minimal compared to what oil companies generate from the area.
Diri reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ensuring security and stability across the state, insisting that decisive actions would continue to be taken against any group or individual threatening public peace.
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