Crisis brews in Bayelsa communities over alleged killings

August 20, 2012 by Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

Okordia and Biseni communities in Yenagoa Local Government, Bayelsa State are at loggerheads over the alleged killing of two persons for rituals.

Biseni community had accused its Okordia neighbours of the killing of Josline and Ebiyeyinama Okiogu.

Trouble was said to have started on July 19 following rumours that the two brothers had been killed in a forest where they went to fetch firewood along the border between both towns.

The inability to reach the telephone numbers of the two brothers fuelled the rumours that they had been killed by Okordia people for rituals.

Our correspondent learnt that the Police Area Commander of Yenagoa quizzed some leaders of Okordia clan who denied the allegation.

But the people of Biseni were said to have reported the matter to the state Commissioner of Police and the governor.

The issue was said to have assumed a dangerous dimension when some indigenes of Biseni allegedly attacked their neighbours and attempted to kidnap and kill two persons.

The alleged reprisals, our correspondent learnt, was aborted by the Joint Task Force. But it was learnt that while some people from Biseni had allegedly concluded plans to invade Okordia, Josline and Ebiyeyinama surfaced, saying they were out of network-covered area.

Okordia, in a letter to the Governor Seriake Dickson through their lawyer, Mr. Olu Ojujoh, complained that their accusers had failed to notify the public that the allegation was false.

They appealed to the governor to intervene in the matter. But the Commissioner for Capital Development, Mr. Zuwa Konuwa, who is from Biseni, blamed the crisis on rumour-mongers.

via Punch