Ijaw Youths Seek End to Cult Killing in Bayelsa

Ijaw youths have called for calm following yesterday’s clashes involving two sister communities in Ogbia, Bayelsa State.

During the violent confrontation between Otuasega and Oruma, at least one person was shot dead while others who sustained injuries were reportedly battling for their lives at some undisclosed hospitals in the state.

However, as at yesterday afternoon, a horde of security personnel had been deployed in the area by the state police commissioner, Uche Anozia, who was also said to have met with the warring groups.

The crisis, according to a community source, started as a supremacy battle between the different cult groups in the area before it de generated into the use of dangerous weapons.

While many reportedly fled the two communities, Anozia, held a meeting with stakeholders from both communities, ostensibly to prevent further escalation of the crisis.

In a reaction, the leadership of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) called on relevant authorities to, as a matter of urgency, wade into the crisis.

The youth organisation said that it feared that the altercation was gradually drifting to an inter-communual war between Or um a(Yib am a) and Otua se ga communities. A statement signed by the Information Officer, CentralZone, Koch man Kurobo, said that the chairman, Kennedy Olorogun, was saddened by the latest happening.

“We have information that a young man named Mr. I yo John from Or um a has been shot dead in the conflict while some have sustained bullet and machete injuries.

“One Mr Goodnews Soko is currently in a coma in the hospital. Both communities have made it a priority to defend their territories from further attacks” the chairman said.

The statement added: “The zonal chairman of council strongly condemns all cult sand their related activities in Bay elsa State, mostly the one that led to this crisis.