By SAM JONES
YENAGOA (Sundiata Post) – Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has imposed a dusk to dawn curfew on the operations of tricycle riders in Yenagoa and environs following the death of four persons in Yenizue-Epie axis of the state capital due to dispute over N50.
Governor Diri gave the order on Thursday at a meeting with traditional rulers, leaders of tricycle operators, youth leaders of Yenizue-Epie community and other stakeholders in Government House.
Violence broke out on Wednesday evening when a tricycle rider stabbed his passenger to death and was subsequently lynched to death by an angry mob with two other deaths occuring afterwards as tempers boiled over.
Some concerned women of the community also embarked on a peaceful protest calling for the expulsion of the people of the ethnic group of the tricycle rider saying it was another killing too many.
Government House and the Bayelsa State Secretariat as well as the Yenizue-Epie axis by policemen causing disruption of movement along the major Chief Melford Okilo Expressway also known as Mbiama/Yenagoa Road.
If quickly resolved, the situation could affect the Muslim Ramadan celebrations on Friday and resumption of schools for the Third Term next Tuesday.
Diri, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, said the restriction became necessary in order to restore calm and peace in the area and will last until the situation improved.
The governor warned against reprisal attacks and ethnic profiling while stressing that his government will take decisive action against those who breach the peace as there was no conflict between Bayelsans and the Arewa community in the state.
According to the governor, Bayelsans and other ethnic nationalities have coexisted harmoniously from the creation of the state and that the peaceful coexistence will be maintained.
He reassured non-natives in the state of their safety as they go about their legitimate businesses and called on residents to report any security breach to the security agencies for necessary action.
Diri also directed security operatives to arrest anyone found illegally in possession of weapons, stressing that the laws of Nigeria forbade such practices.
He restated that the ban on open grazing of cattle was still in force, warning that those found wanting will be dealt with according to extant laws.
While calling for calm, Diri urged community leaders to advise their subjects, particularly youths, against violating the laws of the state, saying all hands must be on deck to sustain the peace in Bayelsa.
His words: “We must behave as normal human beings. This youthful exuberance of getting angry over every issue must stop. There is no fight between Bayelsans and Hausas from the beginning of the creation of the state till date.
“Community leaders should educate our youths. Nobody will harass anybody in this state. If that happens, report to security agencies. The peace we enjoy here, we must all jealously guard it.
“I did not call this meeting for ethnic profiling. Rather it was meant to calm frayed nerves and to ensure that going forward we all live in peace.
“I hereby impose a restriction on all Keke (commercial tricycle) riders from 7pm to 6am. They are therefore expected to operate only in the day time until the situation improved.
“Government will not accept any lawless behavior from anybody. Our laws have not given anybody the right to carry weapons.
“I thank the security agencies and critical stakeholders that have worked hard with us since yesterday to curtail the situation.”
Also speaking, the youth president of Yenizue-Epie Community, Comrade Samuel Martins, and another youth from the community, Comrade Liberia Paul, narrated how the incident occurred and called for more action from government and security agencies to check a reoccurrence of the ugly incident.
