IYC Lauds Police Over Real Estate Agent Killer’s Arrest

President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Worldwide, Sir Jonathan Lokpobiri Snr., has applauded the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), Bayelsa State Command, for the timely investigation and arrest of Mr George Idumangi, suspected killer of a Real Estate agent in Yenagoa, Mr. Richard Ekpebu.
Lokpobiri gave the commendation at the Ijaw House, headquarters of the Council, while speaking with Journalists shortly after a monitoring tour of some ongoing projects being executed by the IYC.
He condemned crime and criminality and dissociated the umbrella Ijaw Youth body from nefarious activities, noting that the suspect, Mr. Idumangi, popularly called Pastor Brandy, once served in one of the adhoc committees of the Council and worked closely with a former Zonal Executive of the Council, but that it does not make the IYC an association of criminal-minded individuals.
“I want to commend the Nigerian Police for the timely investigation and subsequent arrest of Mr. George Idumangi, the prime suspect in the murder of Mr. Richard Ekpebu.
“I like to sound it very clear that though Mr. Idumangi, who is popularly called Pst. Brandy, has previously served in a committee of one of the former executive of the central zone of the IYC, that doesn’t make the IYC, which many of us have struggled to build, a criminal organisation.
“I sympathise with the bereaved families of Mr. Ekpebu. He’s one of us. Both Idumangi and Ekpebu are Ijaw youths. We’re against crime of any sort. We’ve responsible and well behaved members of the IYC in all walks of life doing Ijaw nation and Nigeria very proud.
“How on earth will you take another man’s life because of money? How much is the money in question? No man has the right to wrongfully take another’s life no matter what”, the Youth leader said.
Lopkpobiri, who also said under his leadership of the Council a number of youth developmental initiatives were being carried out, said one of such programmes is the ongoing construction of a Youth vocational centre alongside other projects to train and retrain Ijaw Youths in various skills and vocations.
He also called on the Nigerian Police and sister security agencies to apprehend and question the authenticity of any body seen using the number plate and insignia of the IYC in vehicles, saying the Ijaw Youth Council number plates and insignia we’re exclusively reserved for serving executive members of the Council.
“People can’t use the IYC logo, plate number and council insignia to be fomenting trouble.
“Henceforth I call on the Police and sister security outfits to arrest suspected members of the public, who aren’t executive members of the IYC, using our insignia and plate numbers to commit crime and criminality”, the IYC President added.

By: Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa