An alleged banishment of no fewer than 28 chiefs and prominent individuals has stirred up controversies in the Opu-Nembe Community in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
The affected chiefs were said to have been banished from the community for attending the birthday party of former Minister of State Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva.
The Community Youth President, Mr Ayerite, was alleged to be the brain behind their suspension.
But a member of his council, Mr Nimbofa Collins, who is the Vice-Chairman, said the chiefs were expelled from the community for not being sensitive to the plight of the people who lost loved ones during the February invasion of the community.
He said Sylva promised to bring the culprits to book but has not done so.
The spokesman for the affected chiefs and elders, Chief Monday Degi, said they are appealing for the permanent occupation of military personnel in good numbers to forestall further unleashing of mayhem, as the youths have destroyed over twenty (20) houses, and properties worth hundreds of millions belonging to them have been vandalized.
Speaking at a press conference in Yenagoa, Chief Degi said that the youth president, who has been having clashes with one Mr Kojo Sam, a close ally of Chief Sylva, over personal economic and financial dealings, is in the habit of sending armed youths to destroy and loot houses and personal properties of persons perceived to be close to his enemies.
The affected chiefs, who claimed that their right of citizenship and indigeneship of the Opu-Nembe community is being infringed, blamed the Executive of the Chiefs’ Council of Opu-Nembe for leaving the matter unchecked or put under control until invasions of the community by armed youths in July 2021 and February 2023.
The statement read: “There was peace and tranquillity enjoyed by the Opu-Nembe (Bassambiri) community before the inauguration of the present Youth Body in May 2020. This relative peace and tranquillity continued until Mr Ayerite Ebinimi Moses led Youths leadership and Mr Kojo Sam (their master) had issues bothering their personal economic and financial dealings.
“These issues were left unchecked or put under control by the Executive of the Chiefs’ Council until alleged invasions in July 2021 and February 2023 of the Opu-Nembe, Bassambiri, Community. As is usual with clashes of rival gangs or Youths, there were casualties.
“Rather than dealing with the so-called invaders, which they claimed they know, the Ayerite Ebinimi Moses led Youth leadership, hiding under the guise of these invasions, has been wreaking havoc on the Opu-Nembe Bassambiri Community.
“Mr Ayerite Ebinimi Moses has promoted cultism, gangsterism, and other social vices under these pretences. The present social unrest, gangsterism, and havoc created by Ayerite Ebinimi Moses led Youths leadership are in the areas stated hereunder:
“Destruction of Houses and Personal Properties of Perceived and Apparent ‘Enemies’: The Mr Ayerite Ebinimi Moses led Youths of Opu-Nembe are on the rampage, destroying and looting houses and personal properties of perceived and apparent ‘enemies’.
“Since the inception of the Ayerite Ebinimi Moses youth leadership, the community is witnessing sporadic violence and endless social unrest, which has become phenomenal. Over twenty (20) houses and properties worth hundreds of millions have been vandalized in the community without provocation.
“Forced Exiling of Traditional Chiefs and Prominent People from the Community: It has become a phenomenal act of the youths of Opu-Nembe (Bassambiri) to send on exile any perceived enemies who try to speak against their criminal reign and fetishism in the community.
“Precisely on Saturday, 8th July 2023, the president of the youth federation, Mr Ayerite Ebinimi Moses, pronounced the exiling of 28 Chiefs from Opu-Nembe (Bassambiri). That, the said Chiefs attended the birthday party of His Excellency, Chief (Hon.) Timipre Marlin Sylva, former Minister of Petroleum, State.
“We cannot decipher the rationale that prompted such a prerogative and bizarre act. The question is: when did such an act of celebrating with a son and brother on his birthday become a crime in Opu-Nembe and/or anywhere in the world? And the consequence of such is the loss of the right of citizenship or indigeneship of the Opu-Nembe (Bassambiri) Community.
“Fragrant Violation of the Constitutional Provisions Bothering on Freedom of Association, and of Speech. In reference to number 2 (above), we, the affected Traditional Chiefs and prominent people of the community, do not comprehend what section of the Nigerian Constitution vis-à-vis the constitution of the Opu-Nembe Council of Chiefs that was violated by us, regarding the attending of someone’s birthday party.
“We, therefore, would want to ask: on what premises and temerity the youth president and his cohorts are exercising the power to ostracize or exile us, and our houses immediately invaded, vandalized, and property looted away. Therefore, we are calling on relevant law enforcement agencies, such as the Police, Military (JIF), DSS, etc., to come to our aid and enthrone peace in the community.
“There should be the permanent occupation of military personnel in good numbers to forestall further unleashing of mayhem, gangsterism, rape, and cultism by Mr Ayerite Ebinimi Moses led youth body on the innocent and law-abiding citizens of Opu-Nembe community. A stitch in time saves nine.”
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
Shukroh Adeyemi is a first-class graduate of the Department of English, Lagos State University (LASU), for the…
Full list: Names of ex-governors receiving pensions in 10th Senate
No fewer than 13 former governors still receive pension allowances as serving senators in the…
Mmesoma’s father apologises, begs JAMB, Nigerians, to pardon daughter
Mr Romanus Ejikeme, the father of Mmesoma Ejikeme, the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidate who…
Asisat Oshoala shortlisted for 2023 Ballon d’Or award
Nigerian football star and Super Falcons forward, Asisat Oshoala, has been named as a nominee for the…
3 lessons from the ethnicization of JAMB controversy
OVER the last few days, Irecoiled in horror and disgust as the fairly straightforward case of JAMB exam result fraud by…
Rahinatu Ibrahim, popularly called Ganga, recalled with nostalgia when she first embarked on her journey to the…
and then