In advance of the upcoming governorship election, the Opu-Nembe Council of Chiefs has warned about a possible scheme by Douye Diri, the governor of Bayelsa State, and the PDP to reimpose terror in the local government area.
The council said that the governor and the party intended to attack and occupy Nembe with their thugs and militants using a planned campaign as a cover in a statement signed by its chairman, Yusuo Theo-Iruo.
The council said that the PDP was preparing for a comeback to inflict havoc on the populace before the election by gathering known armed individuals, cultists, and terrorists who had fled the villages when the Inspector-General of Police SWAT team entered for a peace mission.
Theo-Iruo claimed that since the IGP’s team freed Nembe from the grip of violence, the area had been tranquil and that they would not stand by and watch any desperate contender use the populace as human shields in order to win the election.
“We are reliably informed of a sinister plot to reintroduce thugs and militant elements into Opu Nembe during the planned ‘Campaign’ of the PDP in Nembe,” the council stated in its statement. The campaign will act as a pretext for the Opu Nembe invasion.
The SWAT team of the Inspector General of Police bravely freed Nembe of these armed thugs, some of whom were the individuals who terrorised, wounded, and pulled the humanity off our people.
After being held as a slave for two years by outlaws with the support of the State government, Nembe is only now beginning to return to normal.
Although we are unable to explain how happy we are for the peace that now exists in our communities, we nonetheless try to act modestly because of the difficult and expensive trip that brought us here.
“We absolutely declare that we will oppose and denounce any attempt to send phoney security personnel into Nembe in order to create unrest solely to advance the interests of any of the parties running for governor of the state.
“We cannot bet with our people’s lives, the intellectual peace of our communities, the sanity of our children, or the inventiveness of our women on the table of ghastly ambitions.
“Life has returned to Nembe thanks to the IGP’s squad, which freed us and has so far maintained the peace. Markets are crowded and peace has been restored. We declare that this peace, which was initially fundamental to our great people, must endure.
In reaction to the accusations, Governor Douye Diri has stopped all chieftaincy and youth activities in the Bassambiri community till further notice, according to Mr. Daniel Alabrah, Chief Press Secretary to the Bayelsa State Governor.
“The goal is to stabilise the security situation in the area,” the statement stated. Therefore, the state administration does not now recognise the so-called Opu-Nembe Council of Chiefs and will not engage in conflict with an illegitimate group.
But challenge them to explain how purported armed individuals, cults, thugs, militants, or terrorists—whom they claim are recognised and wanted—could successfully attack or wreak havoc in a neighbourhood where the SWAT team of the police is present. Does any of this make sense?
Esau’s hand is behind this false alarm, but Jacob’s voice is speaking. Again, someone is making false accusations. Maybe they have plans to attack PDP supporters and members during the community campaign, much like they did in November 2019.
