Group Calls For Sylva/Maciver's Arrest.

 

A group known as Bayelsans for Accountability and Good Governance (BAGG) has  called on  Inspector General of Police,  Kayode Egbetokun  to investigation and arrest the former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources,   Timipre Sylva and Great Joshua Maciver over  an alleged invasion of  Igbomotoru community in Southern Ijaw in Bayelsa State.

Recall that the community has accused  the duo of invading the it with  armed security personnel.

According to the group, despite the protests and allegations against Joshua Maciver for attempting to violently install a new paramount ruler in the community, preliminary investigations showed that the use of military gun boats and security personnel attached to the pipeline surveillance firm, Tantita Security Services Limited implicated the duo of Sylva and Maciver.

 BAGG also called on the State Governor, Douye Diri, the Comptroller-General of Prisons Service and the Attorney-General of the Federation to review the controversy surrounding the Kaduna jail break of Joshua Maciver in 2006 and send him back to prison  to serve out his 10 years prison term for an  alleged terrorism and sea piracy, adding  that  he has become a security threat to the people of Igbomotoru community, Bayelsa state, and the nation in general.”

Although  Great Joshua Maciver, in a statement  yesterday had  denied the allegation, insisting that the presence of the military was to safeguard federal assets and by extension lives and properties in the area and not to intimidate anyone. 

"The promoters of this campaign of calumny should also be aware that only those culpable of illegal crude oil mining activities are targeted for arrest and possible prosecution  and no amount of blackmail or show of shame as is in this case will deter the robust collaboration between the surveillance company and the apparatus of state."

But  the  statement issued on Tuesday by  the group and signed by the its Spokesman, Comrade Pere Solomon, also alleged that the invasion of igbomotoru is related to armed action against those opposed to the failed governorship election of Chief Timipre Sylva in the state.

Comrade Pere Solomon stated that   BAGG  is solidly behind the position of the Traditional Ruler, Elders, Youth leadership and women of  Igbomotoru community, and across the state against the covert and armed attempt to subvert law and order in the community. 

The statement read “We back the community in its claim that Joshua Maciver, is the alleged mastermind of the armed invasion to oppress them and to also install one Friday Jonathan, who had been rejected as paramount ruler of the community.”

“This is among the reasons why the Former President, Goodluck Jonathan said that he would have taken his mother out of Bayelsa state to Abuja if the PDP had lost the state during the November 11th 2023 Bayelsa state Governorship election.”

“We also confirm that the community, which had been peaceful before and after the outcome of the election, is gradually being thrown into crisis which may result in bloodshed if those involved are not cautioned and arrested. 

"We call on the federal and state governments to check the activities of Tantita Security, Chief Timipre Sylva and Joshua Maciver in order to promote dialogue and avoid bloodbath in the state, because neither Tantita Security personnel, Chief Timipre Sylva, and Joshua Maciver has a monopoly of violence and armed struggle.”

“While we call on Governor Douye Diri not to allow Sylva and Maciver to replicate the bloodshed visited upon Nembe-Bassambiri people on Igbomotoru community, the Inspector-General of Police and the Chief of Defence Staff should check these rising security breaches, including the destruction of lives and property to quell rising tensions across the state.”

“The top echelon of the security agencies should order for an investigation into the allegations that some staff of Tantita Security Services in September 2023, while patrolling the rivers in gunboats, invaded Okpotuwari, a community in the area, where it allegedly caused mayhem, fear, and destruction of lives and property”.

“Elections have come and gone, and we have a mandate to protect lives and property in Southern Ijaw LGA, and as such politicians plotting political vendetta should be reminded that nobody, no matter how highly placed, will be allowed to toy with the peace existing in the LGA. We call once again for the security agencies to act swiftly and diligently to protect lives and properties in Southern Ijaw.