Joy Emmanuel, Yenagoa
There was palpable tension Peremabiri community of Southern Ijaw local government area of Bayelsa state yesterday following the arrest of an 83- year-old man, Pa. Albert Otokolo and five others over alleged involvement in the intra-communal dispute over the choice of traditional ruler for the community.
Pa Otokolo and five the others were on Wednesday allegedly lured to the state capital under the guise of a peace meeting by the state Commissioner of Police, Asuquo Amba, and dragged to a Magistrate Court on charges of involvement in the removal of a traditional ruler, Progress Neverdie, and installing another.
The spokesman of the Bayelsa Police Command, Asimin Butswat, who confirmed the development, said “the arrested persons were charged with conspiracy to install an illegal paramount ruler over a recognised and certified traditional ruler.”
It was gathered that the six persons were arraigned at the Magistrate Court about 7pm on Wednesday and bail efforts by their counsel failed due to conditions put before them by the court.
Comrade Sunday Frank-Oputu, while speaking on the development via telephone, condemned the action of the police and the state government, describing it as “condemnable, pathetic, unfair and an injustice of a new kind.
“Their crime is that during the last governorship election, they did not support Governor Dickson and the PDP. It is not right and he should not declare them enemy. He should rather do everything to bring peace to Bayelsa state,” he said.
