BAYELSA VIOLENCE: BRASS GROUP WARNS AGAINST SHIELDING KILLERS 

YENEGOA, Bayelsa, Nigeria – A socio-cultural organisation, Brass Progressive Youths (BPY): on Friday condemned the incessant violence in Twon-Brass, calling on security agents to put an end to it and return peace to the oil rich island. The BPY in a statement signed by its coordinator, Tarinyo Micah lamented that the once peaceful island has become a theatre of war because of cult related activities.

He decried the killings and wanton destruction of properties in the community, saying it is clearly the handwork of desperate politicans who have fallen out of favour with the people. According to him, most of the youths who terrorize the community are backed by the desperate politicans who give them assorted arms and assure them of police protection.

The youths said that one of the cultists who was arrested recently with a firearm that allegedly belongs to the police was later released after persistent pressure from some powerful forces in Abuja. The organisation stated that such political intervention has emboldened the cultists who are now more determined to unleash mayhem on the people. 

The group maintained that the violence in Twon-Brass will continue except urgent steps are taking to checkmate the activities of the miscreants and their sponsors as well as some security agents who are in connivance with them. They also attributed the crisis in the area to the current manipulation of the security apparatus in the state, insisting that the frequent change of police commissioners has worsened the situation in Brass and other areas. 

Micah who cautioned youths in the area from further violence also called on the Federal Government and the Inspector General of Police to take urgent steps to address the situation. He expressed worry that if nothing is done, the situation will be worse during the 2019 general elections, as those who want to win at all cost will provide more arms for youths to carry out more deadly attacks.