Mayor of Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Hon. Nimizuoa Uroupaye, says the council has ordered investigation to unravel the cause of the inferno that wreaked havoc on the Biogbolo community furniture market in Yenagoa.
Uroupaye stated this while speaking with The Tide on the sideline of his meeting with victims of the fire incident and the State Council of Non-indigenes in Yenagoa.
He noted that he had since directed the appropriate security agencies within the council area to commence findings and report same to his office for appropriate action.
The mayor reiterated his commitment towards ensuring the security of lives and property within the local government area, reassuring that as the chief security officer of the council, he was on an oath to protect lives and property of not only indigenes of the area, but that of everybody living and doing business in the council area.
“I’ve directed the O/C DSS of the LGA and other security operatives to investigate the cause of the fire disaster and report same to me for necessary action”, he said.
“This is my first official meeting with the victims of the fire disaster after the incident. But we’ll meet again before the week rounds off and then I’ll issue out a communiqué.
“I took an oath to secure lives and property of everybody living or doing business in Yenagoa council area. Nobody in this council area should be afraid”, he added.
Also speaking, the chairman of the non-indigenes association and South-South zonal chairman of the Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Chinedu, Arthur Ugwa, said following the timely intervention by the council boss and the leadership of the non-indigenes as well as using his position as the Ohaneze Ndigbo South-South zone, peace had returned to the place formally blocked by some protesters whose goods were affected.
Ugwa commended the chairman for his intervention, saying peace is golden, just as he pleaded that those affected be put back to doing their legitimate business to enable them earn a living.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Biogbolo Furniture Dealers’ Association, Mr Obinna Agha has denied the rumours making the rounds that mistake of his colleagues caused the inferno, saying a few days to the disaster an undisclosed number of persons from Biogbolo came threatening to burn the market.
He alleged that after the threat on a particular Wednesday, came the fire on Sunday the following week, calling on government to carryout proper investigation by bringing the perpetrators to book.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa