October 15, (THEWILL) – Bayelsa State Government has called on non-indigenes to respect constituted authority wherever they reside in order to maintain the prevailing peace, law and order in the state.
The Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, made the call on Monday at a meeting with the people of Akaibiri and Bumoundi communities, as well as Anam farmers in Government House, Yenagoa.
Addressing the people from the two communities in Yenagoa Local Government Area and the Anam farmers from Anambra state, who are residents in the Bumoundi community, Senator Ewhrudjakpo particularly called on the Anam farmers not to take laws into their hands whenever they were aggrieved.
Commenting on the incident that took place in the Akaibiri community on the 6th of October, where Mr Apah Abel, from the Bumoundi community, was allegedly murdered, the deputy governor underscored the need for non-Indigenes to take into cognisance the laws and traditional practices of host communities to foster peaceful co-existence.
While appealing for calm in both Akaibiri and Bumoundi communities, Senator Ewhrudjakpo advised the people to restrain themselves from further attacks on the Anam settlements as the two suspects were already in police custody and the matter was under investigation.
As a matter of policy, the Deputy Governor also noted that henceforth, visitors must be properly introduced to community leadership by their landlords as part of efforts to enhance the identification and arrest of criminals who perpetrate punishable offences in the state.
He also cautioned community leaders to reside in their various domains and be alive to their responsibilities to consolidate on the peace and stability in the state.
His words: “I want to appeal that all our communities in Ekpetiama should maintain the peace. CP should also liaise with other security agencies and maintain some security presence in the area until this matter is properly laid to rest.
“We encourage all our communities to have vigilantes so that this idea of self-help will be minimised. Because if the vigilante were doing their job, this would not happen.
“And to the Anam people, you don’t have the right to kill a thief. You only have the right to catch a thief and hand the person over to law enforcement agents.
“If they are stealing your property don’t resort to self-help, report to the police and your host communities. You need to communicate this to all your people wherever they are in Ijawland.”
In their separate remarks, the Member representing Yenagoa Constituency 2 in the State House of Assembly, Hon. Waikumo Amakoromo and the Chairman of Yenagoa Local Government, Hon. Bulodiseyi Ndiwari, buttressed the need for strong and effective community leadership to nip potential crisis situations in the bud.
Also speaking, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Alonyenu Idu, represented by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Mr Gabriel Elaigwu confirmed that the two suspects allegedly involved in the murder of Mr Apah were already in police custody and assured to carry out a thorough investigation.
In his remarks, the Ibenanaowei of Ekpetiama Clan, King Bubaraye Dakolo, thanked the state government for quickly intervening into the matter to forestall any escalation that could lead to a breakdown of law and order.
King Dakolo, while urging the police to ensure that those behind the killing of the deceased and burning of the Anam farm settlements face the full weight of the law, called on the Anam farmers to respect the existing culture and traditions, as well as recognise the hierarchy of leadership in their host communities.
On their part, the Commissioner for Information, Mrs Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai and her Agriculture counterpart, Prof. Beke Sese, appealed to the Anam community and their host communities of Akaibiri and Bumoundi to imbibe the spirit of tolerance and peaceful coexistence to continue to live in harmony in the area.
Speaking on behalf of the Anam farmers, Chief Bernard Ozoekwe, expressed gratitude to the state government for its prompt intervention, saying they were peace-loving people who have been engaged in farming activities in the state for over 20 years and promised to be law-abiding in their respective host communities.
Amos Okioma is a Correspondent at THEWILL
