Opu Nembe Elders Urge Residents To Come Back Home

 

Some Elders of Opu Nembe Community in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa state have called on the people of the community to go back to the community and continue with their lives stating that peace has been restored in the community.

 Speaking on Sunday in Yenagoa during a press conference, the spokesperson of the group chief Monday Degi assured the residents of Opu Nembe that a batch of security agents has been dispatched to the community by the inspector general of Police to forestall peace and order in the community.

 Just last month, the  leaders of the Opu Nembe community had called for security presence in the community to install peace and order adding that they had been chased out of the community by the youth body for attending the birthday party of Timipre Sylva the APC candidate for the Bayelsa November  Governorship election.

Recall that a supposed incidence took place at the community on Saturday night where the youths and the police personnel were said to have engaged in exchanged of gun battle allegedly resulting to loss of a life.

 Degi stated that   there had been series of intimidation, embarrassment, killing looting as well as destruction of houses and property belonging to innocent and law abiding citizens of Opu Nembe Basambiri community. 

He continued” We therefore urge all well-meaning Sons and Daughters of Opu Nembe Basambiri Community who have deserted the community for fear of danger to go back home and carry on with  their legitimate activities for God has answered our prayers. 

 “The Inspector General of Police and the security agents have rescued the community from the grip of fear, impunity and intimidation and mere anarchy ravaging the community. Those bad boys of Opu Nembe Basambiri  led the youth president Ayerite Moses who are parading and shooting their guns at will without provocation are on the run.

 “These boys are being back by Chief Barrister Ezekiel Ikoli led executive council and we are sure the security agents will fish out all the criminal elements in our community. We further plead with the security agents to have permanent occupation in the community for peace to be sustained.

“Our position doing this is to make sure that we bring peace to the community. It is the responsibility of the chiefs council to act in that regard but they failed because they took side with one side of the youths. So we want to make sure that there is peace in Nembe. That is why we took this bold step. Now the peace is almost there because the security is there. So we want our people to run home. Let everybody go and continue with their activities.

 Also speaking, Chief (Dr) J.T Ameri disclosed that the violence going on in Opu Nembe has got nothing to do with politics adding that it is purely an economic war.

He said “For your information, this thing has nothing to do with politics, it is a community affair. What happened is that these people were in the same camp and because of economic interest, they broke up and they are the people fighting amongst themselves. It has nothing to do with politics. 

“Anybody giving information that this is either PDP or APC is a very wrong information they are giving to the present government in this state. 

“The media should let the world know that it is a community affair and it is an economic war among them and not politics. Even here that we are, we are mixed, we have both PDP and APC.

“Im a PDP member, it is not political. The governor should be told, they are just deceiving him that is political. He stated.

  A statement issued by the state’s Police Public Relations Officer Asinim Butswat stated that “Contrary to the misleading information being circulated on social media platforms that armed thugs dressed in Police Uniforms invaded  Nembe Bassambiri community, on 12 August 2023, the Bayelsa State Police Command wishes to state categorically that a detachment of Mobile Policemen (PMF) and SWAT operatives from Force Headquarters, Abuja carried out a sting operation in Nembe Bassambiri on 12 

August 2023, Some Arms and ammunition were recovered and suspects were arrested. 

“The sting operation was conducted professionally, based on the standard operating procedure of the Nigeria Police Force. No life was lost. 

“Members of the community are urged to go about their lawful and legitimate businesses as the Police would not harass or intimidate any law abiding citizen. 

“Investigation is ongoing and the outcome would be made public.