Tears, woes of Bayelsa communities razed by rival militant gangs

Violent attacks by warring groups on Peremabiri and Ogila-ama has left both communities reeling and residents trying to pick up the pieces of their lives.

Daily Trust reports on the cause of the clash and the impact.

Some communities in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State are now living in perpetual fear over recent attacks on the Peremabiri and Ogila-ama communities by militant groups, who torched houses during the encounter.

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Southern Ijaw communities are majorly riverine and militancy, piracy and other coastal crimes thrive in the creeks of the area.

With the recent attack, it was gathered that two militant groups are fighting for the control of the area.

The area is endowed with huge deposits of crude oil and gas and major oil companies in the country have their facilities around the creeks.

Between the last Christmas day and January 3, 2021, gunmen launched some destructive attack on Peremabiri, where the residence of a popular ex-militant leader, Paul Eris popularly known as Ogunbos, and 20 others were set ablaze.

Though, there was no report of death, several people sustained injuries while running for safety. Many others have been displaced from their homes.

Though security agencies in the state and the government had launched inquiry into the fracas and assured that calm had returned to the warring community, just last Friday, the gunmen attacked another community, Ogila-ama in the same local government, burnt down houses and displaced the residents.

A Peremabiri resident told Daily Trust that the attack appears to be a battle for supremacy by militant groups, because the community was about choosing a traditional ruler before the attack.

He said the ex-militant leader, Paul Eris, who is from the community has been a leader in the area after the militant groups in the Niger Delta ceased fire and surrendered to the Federal government in 2009.

He said the armed men invaded the community in about 50 speedboats, and their mode of attack shows that they were on a mission to take control of the community from an ex-militant leader, Ogunbos.

According to him, the gunmen have chased out community members suspected to be loyal to Paul Eris and have already taken over control of the town.

“As I speak with you, many people are still hiding in the bush and many houses have been burnt down.

“The gunmen came in over 50 speedboats shooting sporadically and gained entrance into the community.

“People had no other option than to run into the bush for safety.

“Our intelligence report has it that the gunmen have vowed to remain in the community and ensure that Ogunbos and his followers never return to the community.

“I was told that the Christmas Day attack on Ogunbos’ house was to drive him out of the town. And that today’s attack is aimed at taking total control of the community,” he said.

He also told Daily Trust that the attack had dealt a very big blow to the people and forced many out and those who have remained do so because they have no where else to go.

“We don’t even know when they will strike again, but the good thing is that we are not loyal to any of the militant groups, we are loyal to God and government.

“Burning people’s houses is not the best way to sort out their differences. Peremabiri used to be a very peaceful community, we don’t understand what actually changed our community to a war front,” he said.

Also, a native of Ogila-ama community who was attacked some days ago, Pastor Lorhi-bolouikie Ogoro, said people have already deserted the community, and the hoodlums have taken control of the area.

He said though he was in Yenagoa when the incident happened, his relatives in the community informed him that the gunmen came dressed in army uniforms in three speedboats at about 5 am.

They operated for two hours unchallenged by any security agency.

He said two houses were already burnt down as at the time his relatives fled the community.

He however appealed to the state government to come to their rescue and arrest the situation.

A fisherman around Peremabiri coastline, Mr Jacob Bob, said they are now afraid to go out for their business as the rivers are no longer safe  for them.

“As I am talking now, I don’t have anywhere to lay my head. My family is also suffering, the house we were staying in was among those burnt down, and the community is not even safe for us to find another accommodation at the moment.

“We are thinking about how to relocate to a safer community except the government puts the necessary security measures in Peremabiri.

“What we are seeing is strange, even in the days of militants, they were not attacking harmless citizens. We don’t really know what is going on now.

“We plead with the government, the police, the Operation Delta Safe and all security agencies to come to our rescue and liberate the community,” he said.

Also, the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) worldwide has condemned the violence and gun battle in Peremabiri and other parts of Southern Ijaw, calling for stakeholders to intervene to restore peace to the affected areas.

The President of IYC, Peter Timothy Igbifa, also proposed the formation of a regional security outfit to properly secure the Ijaw communities from incessant attacks by gunmen.

Already, the Bayelsa State government has constituted a ten man Peace and Security Committee chaired by the Senator representing Bayelsa Central, Moses Cleopas, to find enduring and lasting peace in Peremabiri and other communities in Southern Ijaw.

According to Governor Douye Diri, the committee has one month to complete the assignment.

“The committee is to find out the immediate and remote causes of the crisis. Within this period, there shall be no recognised chiefs in the community.

“Also, there is no CDC chairman for now. The security agents will remain in Peremabiri for now to ensure peace,” he said.

Other members of the committee include, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Bayelsa State, Mr Diriyai Dambo, SAN, House of Representatives member representing Southern Ijaw, Hon. Preye Influence Oseke, Secretary to the State Government,  Dr Konbowei Friday Benson, Technical Assistant on Conflict Management to Bayelsa State Government, Mr Boma Sperrow-Jack, Special Adviser on Security 1, Mr Agberebi Akpoebi, Special Adviser on Security 2, Mr Felix Awoitega, The IYC Central Zone Chairman, Comrade Clever Inodu, and two first class traditional rulers in the state, Their Royal Majesties, King Joshua Igbugburu and King Bubaraye Dakolo.

The Bayelsa police command said suspected militants carried out the attacks in the two communities.

The Police spokesman, SP Asinim Butswat, said in a statement that the command has dispatched reinforcement of Marine Police and detectives from the State Criminal Investigations Department to beef up security in the affected areas, while investigation is ongoing.