Ebiowei Lawal | Yenagoa
Bayelsa State governor, Senator Douye Diri, has condemned an alleged political conflict that led to the killing of three people in Nembe-Bassambiri and promised to restore peace in the ancient kingdom before the February 25 presidential election.
Senator Diri made the pledge when some chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by former Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, paid him a condolence visit at his country home, Sampou, following the demise of his father, Pa Abraham Diri.
The governor further said that there is need for people of the state to show love to one another at all times rather than allow themselves to be divided by politics, while urging the people of the state to shun politics of violence.
It will be recalled that some gunmen stormed the community in the night, engaged the youths in exchange of gunfire, killing an aide to the youth president of Opu-Nembe, while his girl friend and one other person were reportedly shot dead by gunmen.
Diri said that politics is a means to an end and not warfare, adding that he has directed security agencies to move to Nembe and restore peace in the area.
He also warned those bent on perpetrating violence in the community to have a rethink, saying the government will not watch and allow loss of innocent lives.
“I have directed security agencies to step in and restore peace over there. They will be there until after the election. We must discourage the old style of politics where innocent lives were wasted. That cannot go on anymore,” Diri said.
The chieftains of the APC who were among the sympathisers, include Senator Lokpobiri, Chief Osom Blankson, Mr. Perez Peretu, among others.
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