Over 500 protesting IYC members invade Contents Management Board complex, pull down fence in Bayelsa # As group condemns killing of soldiers, civilian
CHINEDU WOSU, YENAGOA
Over 500 aggrieved members of the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC on Thursday invaded the office complex of the Nigeria Contents Development Monitoring Board, NCDMB, in Yenagoa and short down its operations.
The aggrieved youths, led by Barrister Tari Pori, stormed the complex of the NCDMB at about 11am, barricaded the entrance and pulled down the fence and the gate and scared away some staff from their offices.
The youths also shut down power supply to the Board’s complex and kept the staff in the dark even as they seized and vandalized over six cell phones belonging to the security guards.
The protesters were dispersed by the men of the Joint Military Taskforce, JTF, Commissioner of Police, Bayelsa state, Mr. Asuquo Amba, officers of the Department of State Security DSS and men of the Nigerian Civil Defense Corps who were called in to arrest the situation.
Although no lives were lost during the invasion, socio economic activities in the complex located along the Sanni Abacha Express Way were paralyzed
The youths, Our Correspondent gathered were protesting the rumors of possible relocation of the Board to Abuja and Lagos and the absence of the Executive Secretary, Mr. Simbi Wabota.
Speaking to Journalists shortly after the rampaging youths had left the Board Complex, a staff of the Board who did not want his names in print decried the invasion and pulling down of the wall of the complex by the protesting youths.
The source alleged that on several occasions, splinter groups of IYC had visited the Board and made some demands, but that the Board prefers the entire executive of the body to have dialogue with it than for splinter groups to be coming to make personal demands.
He frowned at the invasion, pointing out that the violent acts of IYC could scare away foreign and local investors from the Board and the state at large.
When this publication visited the NCDMB office at 3pm, normalcy had returned to the office as staff and investors were moving freely to and from the offices.
Several attempts to speak with the President, IYC, Central Zone, Comrade Tari Pori yielded no success as at the time of this report.
In another development, the Patriotic Citizens of Nigeria (PACON), a human rights group has condemned in strong terms the killing of four military personnel along Letugbene waterways, under Iduwini clan in Ekeremor local government area of Bayelsa state by unknown gunmen.
The group said the continued attack on security personnel in the waterways was shocking as such was dangerous and would disrupt the present peace and development in the Niger Delta region.
“We sympathize with the Nigerian military over the loss of their personnel and the families of those who died in the most gruesome and despicable manner,” a statement by the group said..
The statement by the group’s Arch Convener, Aluzu Ebikebuna Augustine and Dekekeme Powedei, Co- Convener, said ‘We warn those engaging in such obnoxious acts to desist from it as it is capable of endangering the lives of members of Letugbene and neighboring communities as well, bearing in mind what transpired in Ogbogbagbene and neighboring communities, under Burutu Local Government Area of Delta state, after a military personnel was killed by unknown pirates in July this year.
The group also condemned the military’s undemocratic method in handling the matter following its invasion of Letugbene and destruction of properties it ought to protect, in order to unravel the cause of the unprovoked attack against its personnel, including the wanton burning of houses.
“Though what has happened requires a show of concern, we call on the Chief of Army Staff to call his men to order so as not to further endanger the lives of innocent citizens,” the group said while demanding the institution of a proper inquest into the matter to forestall cases of gross human rights abuse.
