…ACCUSES GABRIEL JONAH AS MASTERMIND OF NEMBE MAYHEM
…EVACUATION OF TRAPPED PDP MEMBERS BEGINS
… PARTY CALLS FOR JUSTICE
The governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Senator Douye Diri has noted with dismay the brutal killings of no fewer than eight members of the party by thugs of the All Progressives Congress during a botched rally in Nembe Ogbolomabiri on Wednesday.
Senator Diri, in an interview with newsmen in Yenagoa described the killings as barbaric, demonic, undemocratic and prayed for repose of the souls of those that were murdered by the bullets of the blood thirsty APC supporters.
Among the dead was the driver of the OB Van of Radio Bayelsa, Mr. Simon Onu who was gunned down beside his vehicle.
The bodies of three of the dead are at the mortuary, two were said to have their stomachs ripped open and thrown into the river while the body of Onu was with the JTF.
The late Onu from Otuasega community in Ogbia Local Government was a serving Committee Development Committee Vice Chairman in the community.
He stated that members of the party were ambushed by a militant group: Otita Force led by Gabriel Jonah, a brother of the state Deputy Governor John Jonah.
He said there was an unprovoked gruesome attack on party members which resulted in the death of some members, while others who sustained injuries are receiving medical attention at Government House Hospital, Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa and Government Hospital in Nembe.
Senator Diri recalled that similar event occurred in the area during the last National Assembly election.
He stated that many people in the area are still in IDP camps while perpetrators of the dastardly act then are still working on the streets of Yenagoa.
The governorship candidate therefore called on the security operatives to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to book.
Giving further account of the incident, the governorship candidate said,, ‘ When we arrived at Nembe we saw our billboards on the floor and that was the signal that all was not well, we proceeded to Nembe, Nembe was our second port of call, our first port of call was at Oluasiri, we got to the water front and kept most of our party members behind since Oluasiri was a riverine journey. And so we kept them behind with the hope that once we are through with Oluasiri, we will return to Nembe for our final rally.
“We arrived Oluasiri only to receive a distress call that our party members were under attack. Some had been guned down, lives were lost, our vehicles vandalized and so we couldn’t hold our rally at Oluasiri, we had to return immediately to Nembe.
“This team was led by the state party Chairman Moses Cleopas and my humble self, the candidate of the party. And we felt we cannot leave without knowing what has happened to our party members at Nembe.
So we drove into Nembe, from the waterside we got the signal, the soldiers were there and they advised that the shooting was still going on, killings were still going on, the nailings were still going on. For innocent party members who went to Nembe to Converse for votes.
“We were advised to drive slowly and the few security escorts that went with us to Oluasiri also came down with their arms and they were moving while we were advised to be inside the vehicle and in that movement, we succeeded slowing in moving out of Nembe, we left Nembe and knowing that’s what has happened, we came here straight to the hospital, we’ve gone to the hospital, we’ve seen our party faithfuls gasping for breath, suffering from gun shots, not one, not two but an uncountable number.
“As we speak, most of our party members are missing, we cannot account for them. We condemn it, it is sad, a thing we never thought will happen, we have been raising the alarm long before today, we call on the security agencies, in particular, the commissioner of police, the director of state security to immediately swing into action and arrest these hoodlums, these killers.
“We also call for justice and that Nembe as we have raised alarm before today, iis a hot spot, and without an immediate action, election in Nembe cannot hold.
“ Nembe should be seen as the red flag zone where the security agents must immediately move in to ensure that these killers are arrested, where we have it on good authority that about four of those allegedly who killed were arrested by the soldiers at Nembe. It is at the junction that we want to also commend and appreciate the soldiers who swung into action and saved the lives of many of our party faithfuls.
“Before we got into Nembe for the last lapse of our campaigns, we had conflicting informations and intelligence that one Gabriel Jonah who is the head of a group called an “Otita Force” has warned that the PDP cannot campaign in Nembe and that Nembe is an APC community and they will not allow the PDP campaign in Nembe. And allegedly we are told and informed that all the killings were carried out by the “Otita Force” leader Gabriel Jonah.
“We are using this opportunity to call on all PDP party members to come out tomorrow by 12 noon at the peace park. We need to tell the world that we are a peace loving party but we refused to be harassed, we refuse to be intimidated, we refused to be killed by people who are equally aspiring to govern Bayelsa State.
Senator Diri, therefore the demanded a probe into the gruesome murder of the PDP members by the security so as to serve as deterrent to others.
