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Dickson warns of repeat of Odi massacre

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BAYELSA

The governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson, on Wednesday, warned gun wielding youths in the state against acts that could lead to another 1999 Odi massacre.

The governor, who stated this as a result of the killing of soldiers in Foropa, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state, also lamented that recent activities of militants were damaging the image of the state and the Niger Delta region as a whole.

It would be recalled that during the administration of ex- President Olusegun Obasanjo, the military invaded Odi in Kolokuma-Opokuma Local Government Area of the state to avenge the killing of security operatives by militants.

Two days before the Foropa incident, suspected militants killed four naval ratings, an oil firm’s employee and his wife at a wellhead in Nembe creeks, Nembe local government area of the state.

Read also: Killing spree as gunmen kill 3 soldiers in Bayelsa

On both occasions, the militants carted away the riffles and other ammunition of their victims.

In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson,
Dickson condemned in very strong terms the unprovoked attack and killing of the security operatives.

According to him, the unwarranted attacks on the nation’s security personnel were putting the state and the region in bad light, adding that community leaders, elders and other stakeholders would be summoned to a meeting at a date to be announced later.

The governor appealed to those behind the killings and their collaborators to stop it with immediate effect.

“Terrorism does not favour peace, neither can democracy express itself through violence,” Dickson said.

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