Arms Attack: We Now Live In Fear, Bayelsa Community Cries Out

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Arms Attack: We Now Live In Fear, Bayelsa Community Cries Out

The people of the Opu-Nembe Community in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, are now living in fear, Vanguard reports.

They have cried out to the federal, and Bayelsa State governments and security agencies to come to their rescue following the recent armed attacks on the community.

It would be recalled that three persons were brutally murdered on February 15 and 16 when some gunmen invaded the town.

Addressing newsmen at the Opu-Nembe Town Hall yesterday, the Chairman of Opu-Nembe Council of Chiefs, Chief Ezekiel Ikoli, lamented that the people now live in fear, while many have since deserted the community and forced to live as internally displaced persons across the state.

Ikoli, who fingered a surveillance security contractor from the area as the mastermind of the killings, regretted that despite several petitions against the perpetrators to various security outfits across the country by the royal throne and people, no action has been taken.

He said: “The people of Opu-Nembe Kingdom now live in fear, many have since deserted the community and forced to live as internally displaced persons across the State.

“With the ongoing 2023 general elections and the volume of money at their disposal giving his antecedent of repeated attacks on Opu-Nembe Kingdom, particularly the recent one which happened on the 15th of February 2023, every eligible voter in the community having become internally displaced, are afraid to return home even to exercise their franchise.

“We are therefore constrained to address this press conference to alert the State and Federal Governments that the security agencies have refused to invite the mastermind and other accomplices for investigation and prosecution to avoid a repeat attack which, if kept unchecked, could lead to a total breakdown of law and order.

“We, therefore, call on the State and Federal Governments and all security agencies in the country to come save our souls to avoid a repeat attack and put a stop to this dastardly act.”