From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Rivers State House of Assembly has advised youths of Finima community and Bonny Kingdom in Bonny Local Government Area to shun all forms of violence and allow peace reign in the LGA.
The Assembly also urged them to embrace peace over the issues of recognition and local content by the Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG) company.
The youth bodies had engaged in a clash last week, during a peaceful protest which left scores injured and some property destroyed.
The lawmaker representing Bonny constituency in the Rivers State House of Assembly, Abinye Pepple,
gave the advice in Port Harcourt, during a meeting to ensure peace is maintained in Bonny Kingdom.
Pepple said: ‘The message is that they would continue to work with the leadership of Finima Youth Congress and Bonny Youth Federation. They have come up with a position that they need peace to move Bonny Kingdom forward. They have to align themselves with the position of various leaders.
‘They have given their word with the interest of moving Bonny Kingdom forward. They will not renege. They are going back to their various communities to inform the youths that they must work together. It is important to have a common synergy to move the kingdom forward. And that is exactly what we (Rivers State House of Assembly) are expecting. I am sure it will happen”.
In his response, chairman of Finima Youth Council, Charles Brown, said they were ready to make peace, noting that their agitation was not against the Bonny kingdom, but issues of recognizing Finima as NLNG host community.
Brown stated: ‘We have decided; I, the chairman in conjunction with my Exco members and Congress have decided to choose the line of peace.
‘We are going back home with the message to our people to enlighten them more for the need to remain calm, to maintain our peaceful disposition, which we have always maintained; because, not that we do not know that peace is good for us, but for somebody to stand in the midst of all that has been happening to lead us in this part of peace, definitely we will conform.’
Similarly, Chairman of Bonny Youth Federation, Emnanuel Finecountry, promised to ensure the existing peace in the Kingdom is maintained.
Finecountry said: ‘Like I have always said, I concur wholeheartedly there is need for peace because we have a father, which is the majesty that so much believe in peace. We are all out for this peace and peace has returned.’