Bayelsa Decides: Tension Heightens in Nembe, Returning Natives Barred From Entering Town
Hundreds of people who returned to their Opu Nembe ancestral home for Saturday’s gubernatorial election were barred from getting into the community.
The natives had fled their homes some months ago at the heat of the crisis that led to the eventual military occupation of the place.
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TNN was informed on Friday night that the fleeing natives had been encouraged to return home to be able to vote on Saturday. They joyfully jumped into vehicles and headed homeward, only to be stopped by some youths believed to be loyal to one of the candidates.
While some people chose to return to Yenagoa, others preferred to move into the Ogbolomabiri community to take refuge as nightfall approached.
A traditional ruler who spoke to TNN from the area confirmed that there was so much tension in the two Nembe communities of Opu Nembe and Bassambiri.
The ruler said soldiers and other security personnel were heavily present in the place but could not say why the people were prevented from accessing their ancestral.
But another source said a few persons who were known to be supportive of a different political party was allowed to go in, while those suspected to be close to the ruling political party in the state were stopped from entry.
The police image maker, Asinim Butswat did not answer our call when we made efforts to speak with him on the situation in Nembe.
