Ijaw leaders and Bayelsa State government yesterday called on all parties involved in the violent conflict between the host community of the state-owned Niger Delta University (NDU) and security operatives to exercise restraint.
Some persons were feared killed in the clash, which was triggered by forceful opening of the university located at Amassoma, hometown of former late Governor Diepreye Alamiyeiseigha in Southern Ijaw, by security operatives.
The university’s gate was shut-down by community women protesting their removal from the payroll of the school following the ongoing public service reforms initiated by Governor Seriake Dickson.
Ijaw leaders condemned the violence that led to bloodshed in the community and appealed to the stakeholders to sheathe their swords.
They also called on the Inspector-General of police, Ibrahim Idris, to investigate the circumstances surrounding the killing of youths involved in the protest.
An immediate past President, Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide, Udengs Eradiri, asked the police when were deployed in the community restrain themselves from the use of force.
He said since security operatives were in the community to ensure peace, it was counterproductive for them to use their firearms.
He called on the police to apply professionalism and adhere strictly to the rules of engagement in the interest of peace.
Eradiri said Governor Seriake Dickson’s style of politics was totally against bloodshed and violence and appealed to security agencies to respect the governor’s political principles.
He, however, appealed to Amassoma people to stop any action, which could be construed as an attack on security operatives.
The ex-IYC boss said any attack on security operatives like hauling of stones and throwing other weapons at them would only escalate the violence.
He said it was foolhardy to physically confront armed security operatives adding that only dialogue would solve the problems.
In a statement condemning the violence, a factional President of IYC, Eric Omare, described the killings as avoidable.
“The preliminary reports available to the IYC is to the effect that trucks load of mobile policemen arrived the Niger Delta University (NDU) Amassoma with a view to open the university which has been under lock and key over student, worker retrenchment and other related disputes.
“This action led to confrontation between the police and members of the Amassoma community which led to the brutal murder of about four youths of the community.
“This is totally unnecessary and uncalled. The police need not be invited to ensure the opening of the university. The IYC is aware of engagements between the Bayelsa State Government and the Amassoma community with a view to resolve the contending issues with respect to local workers retrenchment and other related issues.
“The police have no role to play in the resolution of such routine disputes between community and establishments and It is a breach of the rules of engagement for the police to fire shoots are harmless protesting youths”, he said.
While calling for restraint, Omare said the government and community leaders of Amassoma must rise to calm down the situation.
“We also call on the Inspector-General of Police to properly investigate the circumstances surrounding the gruesome murder of youths of Amassoma community and bring the perpetrators to justice to serve as deterrent to other blood thirsty police officers”, he said.
Also a renowned lecturer in the university, Dr. Ekiyor Welson, asked the IG to kill his men sent to Amassoma to order.
“We don’t want the precious blood of innocent Bayelsans to shed needlessly. What the police troopers are doing in Amassoma would only aggravate the matter because the Ijaw man at war is not afraid of bullets”, he said.
The government in a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media Relations Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, blamed the bloodshed in Amassoma on opposition political leaders.
He said the leaders mobilised the hoodlums who barricaded the gate and disrupted academic activities in the institution last week to protest the retirement of some overaged and redundant personnel.
Soriwei noted that the unscrupulous politicians were taking advantage of the ignorance of young people and hoodlums to sustain a protest against the decision of the Governing Council and Management of the NDU.
He said that it was unfortunate that unpatriotic elements would launch sustained attacks on the university even when negotiations on the retired over-aged and redundant personnel was concluded on the matter and agreement reached with the host communities.
Soriwei said that the government was patient on the activities of the hoodlums who blocked and mounted canopies on major roads in and outside Amassoma.
He explained further that the hoodlums attacked a detachment of policemen who were deployed to the NDU and injured some of them adding that the miscreants also attacked and ransacked the Amassoma Police Station.
He said: “The Bayelsa State Government has condemned in strong terms the violence unleashed on the Niger Delta University and its environs by some hoodlums who are funded, mobilized and armed by unscrupulous opposition political leaders.
“These mischief makers have mobilized, funded and armed hoodlums to disrupt academic activities in the school, and forcibly closed it down even when negotiations on the recent retirement of overaged personnel of the institution have been concluded and agreements reached.
“These hoodlums have for the past one week stopped free movement of vehicles and persons on public roads. They disrupted conduct of businesses in and around Amassoma by putting canopies on major roads to pander to political interests who are desperate to tarnish the good image of the government.”
Soriwei called on parents to prevail on their children against being used by politicians to tarnish the good image of the government by creating a non-existing atmosphere of insecurity in the state.
