Bayelsa on the boil, but Police impose curfew

After hours characterised by destruction and street fights, the Police in Bayelsa state have stepped in and imposed a three-day dusk to dawn curfew in the troubled State.
But opposition Peoples Democratic Party is pointing accusing fingers in the direction of the National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, for the carnage there.
APC protesters wene angry after the Supreme Court on Thursday sacked the Governor-elect, APC’s David Lyon, who was billed to be sworn-in Friday.
They went wild after INEC frubbed insult on the APC injury when it handed a Certificate of Return to the PDP candidate, Senate Diri Duoye, and his deputy.
To stem the violence, Commissioner of Police in the state, Uche Anozia, announced on Friday the curfew which will last between 8pm – 6am daily.
Major streets and the Government House were flooded by protesters on Friday morning asking for a review of the Supreme Court judgment.
By afternoon, some of the protesters stormed the the Bayelsa State Broadcasting Corporation, PDP secretariat, and a home said to belong to former Governor Seriake Dickson in Yenagoa, destroying properties.
In a statement, the PDP called for the arrest of Oshiomhole.
It called on the Inspector General of Police, Adamu Mohammed, to immediately pull in Oshiomhole, for questioning and prosecution for incitement.
It says the violence and arson being perpetuated by APC agents in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state capital was in furtherance of Oshiomhole’s inciting call that no governor would be sworn-in in Bayelsa state, contrary to the judgment of the Supreme Court.
PDP adds: “Oshiomole’s statement was a direct call for sedition and violent subversion of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the statutory authority of the Supreme Court and the mandate of the people of Bayelsa state.
“He should therefore be pulled in immediately for prosecution for inciting violence and arson in the state.
“Nigerians can recall that our party had on Thursday cautioned Oshiomhole over his utterances and apparent plots to cause violence and a breakdown of law and order in the state.
“The world however watched with horror as APC agents, chanting APC slogans, assaulted the people of Bayelsa state, set the PDP secretariat in the state ablaze, attacked the premises of Radio Bayelsa, vandalized vehicles and equipment, took over major highways and attacked travellers, all in the bid to violently subvert the judgment of the Supreme court and forcefully take control of the state.
“The PDP therefore charges the people of Bayelsa, the security agencies and Nigerians at large, to hold Oshiomhole responsible and accountable for the violence in Bayelsa state and deal with him accordingly in line with the provisions of our laws.
“Oshiomhole must be brought to book and stopped from the use of garrulity and clear misuse of language to cause crisis in our country”.