By Daniel Edu
The Bayelsa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has made an appeal to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to summon Timipre Sylva, the former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, for interrogation in relation to the brutal attack and fatalities in Opu-Nembe, located within the Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
PDP has accused Timipre Sylva, who is also the governorship candidate for the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, of orchestrating the assault.
Allegedly, the attack was launched by the APC leadership, including its candidate, due to the community’s refusal to support Sylva.
The PDP suggests that the APC and its candidate’s motivation behind the assault is to intimidate the community, thereby dissuading residents from participating in the upcoming November 11 elections.
The party stated, “The PDP strongly condemns the invasion, murder, and injury of innocent citizens in Bayelsa State communities, particularly in Opu-Nembe, Nembe Local Government Area, by thugs allegedly recruited, sponsored, and armed by Chief Timipre Sylva.”
The PDP expressed concern over visual and video evidence showcasing the gruesome slaying of young residents of Nembe, including the son of a widow, by thugs allegedly affiliated with Chief Timipre Sylva. The party alleges that the violence was a response to the community’s vocal rejection of Sylva, accusing him of neglect and past violence.
“There is public documentation indicating that these thugs are periodically accommodated in a hotel allegedly owned by an associate of Chief Timipre Sylva, where they plan and execute armed attacks on the communities for refusing to support the APC,” the party claimed.
The PDP also highlighted Sylva’s history of alleged violence during election periods, citing a previous incident in 2019 involving the same community.
The party expressed dismay over the reported involvement of certain security personnel in these attacks, with concerns raised about the use of military attire by the assailants. The PDP further alleged that high-ranking police officers might be aiding these actions to seize control of Opu-Nembe, potentially facilitating substantial rigging in the November 11, 2023 governorship election.
