Timipre Sylva

There was palpable tension in Opu-Nembe Community, Nembe Council of Bayelsa State, as the crisis rocking the once peaceful kingdom got messier, at the weekend, when the youth leader, Ayerite Moses, exiled 28 chiefs and elders for attending the birthday ceremony of former Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva.

Ayerite had accused them of plotting another attack on the community.

Recall that the Opu-Nembe Council of Chiefs had, in a statement last month, accused the former governor, Sylva, of sponsoring the attack on the community, passing a resolution to deny him access to the community.

Spokesman for the affected chiefs and elders, Monday Degi, during a press briefing in Yenagoa, said that they are appealing for permanent occupation of military personnel to forestall further unleashing of mayhem, as the youths have destroyed over 20 houses and property worth hundreds of millions of naira belonging to them.

Degi said that the youth president, who has been having clashes with one Kojo Sam, a close ally of Sylva, over personal economic and financial dealings, is in the habit of sending armed youths to destroy and loot houses, as well as personal properties of persons perceived to be close to his enemies.

The chiefs, who claimed that their right of citizenship and indigeneship of the community was being infringed upon, blamed executives of Opu-Nembe Chiefs Council for leaving the matter unchecked until invasion of the community by armed youths in July 2021 and February 2023.

Degi said: “There was peace and tranquility in Opu-Nembe Community before inauguration of the current youth body in May 2020. This relative peace continued until the leadership of the youth body, led by Ayerite Moses had issues with Kojo Sam (their master), bothering on some personal economic and financial dealings.”

“Rather than dealing with so-called invaders, which they claimed they know, the youth leadership has been wrecking havoc on the Opu-Nembe Community.

“Since the inception of the Ayerite-led youth leadership, the community has been witnessing sporadic violence and endless social unrest, which has become phenomenal.

“Forced exiling of traditional chiefs and prominent people, who they perceive to be enemies, from the community has become a phenomenal act of Opu-Nembe (Bassambiri) youths.”