Dickson, Sylva On Warpath As Cultists Killed Eight In Bayelsa

Governor of Bayelsa state, Seriake Dickson is on the warpath again with his predecessor, Chief Timipre Sylva over claims and counter claims about state of insecurity in the state.

This is coming as cultists between Tuesday and Thursday have reportedly killed over eight persons in a renewed cult war in the state.

Reports say Dickson and Sylva are currently trading blames over the alleged killings in the state.

Source disclosed that Governor Dickson had through his Special Adviser on Security, Boma Spero-Jack, accused the All Progressives Congress chieftain and a former Governor Sylva of sponsoring acts of destabilization in the state.

The Governor had described Sylva as an agent of destabilization of Bayelsa and the Ijaw nation in a statement on Wednesday.

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Spero-Jack advised the youth populace and all well-meaning members of the society to be wary of the former Governor, who according to him, had sponsored protests with the sole intent to blackmail and intimidates the security community.

In a swift reaction however, Timi Sylva through his spokesman, Doife Ola, said the state government allegation was unsurprising, as it is the Governor’s usual style of feeding the people a line to try to mask his incompetence each time it manifests in the form of failure.

In the same vein, the APC spokesman, said that the main takeaway lesson for Bayelsans in all these is that Dickson is terrified and panic-stricken and always feeling as if he is being pursued.

“Yes, he is pursued, but by his own lack of capacity to govern. A leader that cannot take responsibility for his actions and inactions is simply not worthy of his office. Dickson has demonstrated this since coming to office.”

BigPen Onlline was told that the renewed cult war is reportedly between two notorious cult groups identified as Greanlanders and Bobos.

According to security reports, the number of casualty on both side may rise in the next few days as each of the groups are gearing up for reprisal attacks.

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“Eight youths have so far lost their lives in Yenagoa, as a renewed cult war has left residents, business owners, including journalists of the metropolitan growing city in palpable fear and apprehension.

“Yesterday brutal killing of a young man in his early 20s at the popular Punch road, where most Journalists resides threw the entire residents into confusion as they scamper for safety due to the brutal way the assailants took the life out of their victims in full glee.

“The residents of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, particularly those residing on Punch Road, Ebis road along Biogbolo, Obele along down Yenagoa, Sandfill along the hospital road and Good news street along the Azikoro Village road have had their share of killings.

“While two boys were shot dead on Tuesday night at Sandfill area, two persons were left dead at Good news junction and Punch Road area on Wednesday afternoon and night respectively.

Continuing, our source disclosed; “One of the dead person, identified as T.Juice, a suspected Greenlander member and an indigene of Ogbia local Government Area of the State, was shot dead at close range while he was eating at an open restaurant in the area.

“Wednesday killing as Punch Road threw the residents and shop owner into pandemonium when about 15 youths armed with assault weapons opened fire on their defenseless rival.

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“He was shot in the head while his friend, whose name is yet unknown escaped before they could opened fire. Many residents, including journalists, scampered for safety.

“The killers escaped through the OMPADEC road area into thin air before detachments of policemen arrived the scene”, the source who pleaded anonymity added.

Contacted on the cult rivalry and killings, the spokesman of the police Command, AsImin Butswat confirmed the reported killings but didn’t give further details as at time of filling this report for publication.