By SAM JONES
YENAGOA (Sundiata Post) – The people of Opu Nembe in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State are seeking security guarantee from relevant authorities for the House of Assembly election this Saturday, March 11.
They want added security for the community as, according to them, they have suffered a lot of attacks from hoodlums in recent times.
Briefing pressmen on Tuesday at Opu Nembe, Chief Ezekiel Ikoli, chairman, Opu Nembe Council of Chiefs, said the people now live in fear adding that many people have since deserted the community.
Chief Ikoli said the recent attack on February 15 this year has made every eligible voter in the community to be internally displaced and is now afraid to return home to exercise their franchise.
He explained that it was unfortunate to see the culprits and perpetrators of the dastardly act still moving freely without being apprehended.
The community, however, thanked Bayelsa State governor, Senator Douye Diri, for intervening, condemning the attack and instructing security agents to apprehend the perpetrators.
His words: “The royal throne and the entire Opu-Nembe kingdom in Nembe Local Government, Bayelsa want the Federal Government, Bayelsa State Government and the entire security architecture in the nation to come to our rescue as the kingdom is under attack.
Continuing, he said: “On the 15th day of February 2023, there was an armed attack on Opu-Nembe, which started at 9pm and lasted till about 6am on the 16th day of February 2023. In the attack, three persons were brutally murdered with others sustaining various degrees of injuries.
“A similar attack was also carried out on the 11th day of July 2021 in Opu-Nembe which resulted in the death of one person while a great number of people were badly injured.
“The people of Opu-Nembe now live in fear, many have since deserted the community and forced to live as internally displaced persons across the state.
“Regrettably, the royal throne and the entire Opu-Nembe kingdom have on several occasions petitioned against the perpetrators of this act to various security outfits across the nation with no action taken.
“We are constrained to address this press conference to alert the state and Federal Government that the security agencies have refused to invite the accomplices for investigation and prosection to avoid a repeated attack which if kept unchecked could lead to a total breakdown of law and order.
“We therefore call on the state and Federal Government and all security agencies in the country to come and save our souls to avoid a repeated attack and put a stop to this dastardly act”.
