Posted by The Port Harcourt Telegraph on
On lookers watched Tuesday as protesting councillors under the aegis of the Bayelsa Councillors Forum engaged security forces led by the Chief Security Officer and the chief of Protocol to the governor.
On lookers watched Tuesday as protesting councillors under the aegis of the Bayelsa Councillors Forum engaged security forces led by the Chief Security Officer and the chief of Protocol to the governor.
The confrontation occurred after the councillors had taken over the Government House gate, refusing to allow vehicles in or out.
The arrival of the councillors in their numbers with placards had put security on alert.
Also attracted to the scene where members of Bayelsa Volunteers, a group led by Nengi Jepthah, a DSP and curious members of the public.
The fracas began after CSO and a Superintendent of Police, Moses Jitoboh came to the gate and tried forcefully to dislodge the councillors who had refused to quit, using a horde of policemen numbering more than 30.
Apparently, Jitoboh did not agree with what would seem to be the 'soft-touch-approach adopted by the State Commissioner for Sports, Ibitimi Amgbare.
The commissioner had attempted to reason with the councillors and to persuade them to disperse, or at least end the siege at the gate.
When his approach failed to yield dividends Jitoboh struck.
For several minutes, there was tension as the councillors physically resisted the move to intimidate them.
The CSO had possibly underrated the will of the angry councillors.
Four of their kind had been gruesomely murdered on their way back from a meeting.
Thus far, their remains have not been discovered.
This, some councillors told newsmen, had led them to protest.
They said they were not satisfied with the fact that no arrests have been made and wondered if there were powerful persons within government who were behind the gruesome murder of their colleagues.
We have heard that the councillors during the scuffle may have ruffled the attire of the police officer.
Trouble further escalated from what we gathered when Kio Dumo received a slap from the governor's Chief of Protocol.
He had apparently overheard Dumo, a member of the Bayelsa Volunteers say the councillors' complaint ought to be heard.
Despite all efforts to stop the COP, Joseph Akedesuo from descending physically on Dumo failed.
Not even the CSO who persuaded him not to, could stop the government's chief engagement fixer to quit his assault plan.
The Deputy Governor, Dr Goodluck Jonathan reportedly came to the scene to address the restive councillors.
We hear the councillors were told due process would be followed in getting to the bottom of the murder.
The deputy governor urged them to disperse, assuring them government had taken note of their complaints.
Leader of the Bayelsa councillors, Ibe Etimekeze presented the position of the councillors, stressing all they wanted was justice and the recovery of their fallen colleagues who never got home from a meeting called to address differences that had arisen over portion of land that Shell plans to build a flow station to enhance its production in the Niger Delta region.