Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Bayelsa State Government has concluded plans to probe the role of former governor Timipre Sylva of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the recent crisis that engulfed Amassoma community in which five persons were confirmed dead.
Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Dr. Boma Spero-Jack, who stated this in a statement in Yenagoa described Sylva as ‘an agent of destabilisation against Bayelsa and the Ijaw nation’.
Spero-Jack, who mocked Sylva for not contributing or supporting any efforts to develop the state, disclosed that since Sylva was rejected by Bayelsa voters in 2015, he has resorted to all antics to compromised security agencies in line with his unrepentant stand to destabilise Bayelsa.
“He compromises security officials; he intimidates them, and when he cannot, he blackmails them. So, we are aware of the blackmail against security operatives in the state by Sylva.
“He has sponsored protest with the intent to blackmail the law enforcement community.
“Government would carry out holistic investigation into the Amassoma crisis. The steps government would take would unravel the real sponsors of the mayhem and the nature and character of the people who lost their lives.
“It would also expose the magnitude of the vandalization and generally the circumstances that led to the crisis,” he added.
However, reacting to the allegation by the Bayelsa State Government, Sylva, through his media office said the Bayelsa State Government under Governor Henry Seriake Dickson, is riddled anxiety, blame, accusation, and irresponsibility.
Sylva who accused Dickson of causing the Amassoma violence due to his lack of tact, urged him to accept responsibility instead of blaming the opposition.
“Dickson’s record of failure, larceny and ineptitude is so manifest that the deceits from his bag of lies can no longer hide him.
“So, he must blame the opposition instead of taking responsibility for protests against his incompetent administration.
“The allegations are unsurprising. It is Dickson’s usual style of feeding the people a line to try to mask his incompetence each time it manifests in the form of failure to deliver leadership when occasion demands. But none of his lies has ever worked.”