Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Douye Diri, has noted with dismay the brutal killings of no fewer than eight members of the party by thugs suspected to be from the All Progressives Congress (APC) during a botched rally in Nembe Ogbolomabiri on Wednesday.
Senator Diri, in an interview with reporters in Yenagoa, condemned the violence and prayed for repose of the souls of those who were murdered by the armed thugs.
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 state 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.
Diri 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.
The candidate, who recalled that a similar event had occurred in the area during the last National Assembly election, stated that many people in the area are still in IDP camps, while perpetrators of the violent attacks are still walking on the streets of Yenagoa.
The governorship candidate 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. Nembe was our second port of call, our first port of call was at Oluasiri, we got to the waterfront 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 gunned down, lives were lost, our vehicles vandalized and so we couldn’t hold our rally at Oluasiri, and we had to return immediately to Nembe.”
Diri, who explained that his retinue had to drive out of Nembe slowly because gunshots were still being fired when they arrived there, said most of the PDP members are still missing.
He called for justice for those that have been killed and tasked security authorities to bring the situation in Nembe under control so that the Saturday, November 16 election can hold.
