Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has said the state government\u2019s indefinite suspension of chiefs and the youth body in Bassambiri community in Nembe Local Government Area of the state was still in force.
\nGovernor Diri also restated his call on the warring factions in the community to toe the path of peace.
\nHe assured that his administration would do everything possible to bring lasting peace to the community.
\nSenator Diri stated this when the judicial panel of inquiry set up to look into the communal crisis presented its report to him in Government House, Yenagoa, last Friday.
\nOn February 15 last year, crisis erupted in Nembe-Bassambiri, which claimed three lives.
\nThe panel was instituted on August 15, 2023 to look into the crisis and proffer solutions.
\nThe governor noted that the crisis bedevilling the community was three-pronged but was more political than economic or traditional.
\nHe stressed that no society can develop in an atmosphere of continuous violence and brigandage.
\nThe governor set up a five-man committee to review the report of the panel within two weeks and to advise him on its implementation.
\nThe review committee is headed by Secretary to the State Government, Alabo Gideon Ekeuwei with the Acting Chief of Staff, Dr Peter Akpe, the Head of Service, Mrs. Biobelemoye Charles-Onyeama and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Legal Matters, Alabo Ozubide as members.
\n\u201cFor any one life lost, it is important to us as a people. We assure you that we will look at your recommendations and implementation will be done to the letter.
\n\u201cLet me use this opportunity to call on my brothers in Nembe-Bassambiri that it is time for everybody to toe the path of peace. Peace is priceless. We cannot continuously be in a fraticidal war, fighting among ourselves.
\n\u201cYou can trust this government. What we want is lasting peace. With the calibre of people appointed into the committee, l am very sure that we will find the solution.\u201d
\nThe governor also called on the lnspector General of Police to re-deploy the special forces from the community in order to restore peace.
\n\u201cWe all must put our hands together so that all parts of our state will be peaceful. Today, we almost have an occupying police force in Nembe-Bassambiri. A special force from the Inspector-General of Police has been there before and after last year\u2019s governorship election.
\n\u201cWe are told that the force was there to bring peace and normalcy to Nembe. But Nembe was far from war before the special force arrived. I believe that there are other states in the country that need the services of the special force more than Nembe-Bassambiri today.
\n\u201cl call on the Inspector-General of Police to reconsider and ensure the posting of those special forces to very troubled states where lives are lost on daily basis so that rather than being an occupying force in Nembe-Bassambiri, they will be of more help to Nigeria.\u201d
\nPresenting the report, the panel\u2019s secretary, Diepreye Omubo, explained that the committee was given 21 days to carry out its assignment but had to seek an extension, which the governor granted.
\nMr Omubo, who spoke on behalf of the chairman of the panel, Justice Margaret Akpomiemie (rtd), said the assignment was concluded on September 29 last year.
\nOther members of the panel were Chief Fedude Zimughan, Dr. Josephine Igodo, Lady Love Amaseimogha, and a representative of the National Human Rights Commission, Bayelsa Office, Mr. Vining Goselle.Nembe-Bassambiri Chiefs, Youth Body<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has said the state government\u2019s indefinite suspension of chiefs and the youth body in Bassambiri community in Nembe Local Government Area of the state was still in force. Governor Diri also restated his call on the warring factions in the community to toe the path of peace. He […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[18],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n