Odioma: Diri Constitutes Peace, Reconciliation Committee

The Bayelsa State Government has constituted a six-man peace and reconciliation committee to look into immediate and remote causes of the communal unrest and insecurity threatening the peace of the Odioma Community.
The State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, gave the order at an enlarged meeting with the Chairman and members of the Odioma Council of Chiefs and other critical stakeholders of the community in Government House, Yenagoa.
He said his administration would not tolerate the breakdown of law and order in the community or any other part of the state.
The Governor advised them to live together in peace, while avoiding actions capable of causing a recurrence of the 2005 experience in which Federal military troops invaded and destroyed the community.
Governor Diri, who was represented at the meeting by his Deputy, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, stressed the need for the Odioma Council of Chiefs to remain apolitical and be more proactive in addressing critical communal issues.
He warned that henceforth, members of the Odioma council of Chiefs who belong to any political party should either resign from the chiefs council or withdraw their political party membership to enable them lead the people without divided interests.
“Under our watch, we cannot allow history to repeat itself at Odioma, because we all witnessed what happened there in 2005. We want to avoid a recurrence of that.
“For now the Police would remain there until we have resolved all the major issues. Secondly, the Council of Chiefs, you have to be more proactive and live up to your responsibilities.
“This idea of trying to give party aligning is not your duty as chiefs. If you’re a PDP or an APC member, from the very day you were elected chief, you drop that party membership card because they are irreconcilable.
“So I want you the chiefs to know this: ‘Once you are a member of the chiefs council, quit PDP, quit APC.”
“As you are leaving here, PDP members go and resign your PDP membership; likewise APC members go and resign your APC membership. If you are not ready to do that, then resign from the chiefs council”, the Governor said.
The six-man Odioma Peace and Reconciliation Committee has the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Biriyai Dambo (SAN) as Chairman, while the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, CP Akpoebi Agberebi (Rtd) is to serve as Secretary.
Other members of the Committee are the Member representing Brass Constituency 2 at the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Hon. Timi Omubo- Agala; the Technical Adviser on Conflict Resolution, Chief Boma Spero-Jack; the Commissioner of Police, CP Ben Nebolisa Okolo; and the State Director of the DSS.
The Tide reports that the Odioma Community peace and reconciliation Committee was given one month to complete its assignment.

By; Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa