There is palpable fear of violence occurring during today’s rerun in the contentious Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
Observers are afraid of participating in the rerun because of the tension that had risen across the LGA ahead of the poll.
One of the observers, who begged our correspondent not to mention his name, expressed the fear that the rerun should not turn bloody because “there are unfriendly signs in the atmosphere.”
He, however, said he and his colleagues might withdraw from participating in the exercise if there were indications that the poll might not be peaceful.
The local government area is said to be home of the majority of the former militant leaders and their supporters from the state.
It was learnt that many residents of Peremabiri, Korokorosie, Aliebobiri and Oporoma, headquarters of the local government area, decided to flee their homes for fear of recurrence of the violence that occurred on December 5 and 6, 2015.
During the governorship contest in the area, scores of people were injured while four persons were feared killed.
Signs that today’s rescheduled rerun may be marred with violence again started resurfacing early this week following attacks on some persons and homes by political thugs.
On Wednesday, the police arrested no fewer than five persons for alleged plan to attack the house of former President Goodluck Jonathan in Yenagoa.
On Thursday, the residence of the Speaker, Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Mr. Konbowei Benson, in Korokorosie, Southern Ijaw, was reportedly attacked.
The Speaker had claimed that some men in hoods threw dynamites that destroyed part of his house on Thursday.
Benson, who is a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, accused the All Progressives Congress of hiring thugs that attacked his house.
But the State Chairman of the APC, Chief Tiwei Orunimighe, accused the Speaker of harbouring over 200 armed thugs in his hometown, Korokorosie.
Orunimighe had said in an interview on Thursday, “As we talk now, there are more than 200 armed youths in Korokorosei being housed by the Speaker.
“We are also aware that another chieftain from Akassa is also bringing another 200 to Southern Ijaw Local Government Area. All these are people who are shouting but they are the ones perpetrating violence and using militants.”
Also, Beinmopre Jonah, younger brother of the state’s Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah (retd.) was attacked in Yenagoa on Thursday.
Jonah was allegedly attacked by political thugs.
Reacting to the attack, the campaign spokesman, Restoration Campaign Organisation, Jonathan Obuebite, accused the opposition of being the brain behind the attack.
“The attack on the immediate younger brother of the deputy governor is a pointer to the terror that the opposition is planning to unleash on the people of the state during the rerun,” he said.
As of Friday, some Southern Ijaw residents still doubted the ability of the police to provide effective security for the volatile local government.
A resident of Oporoma, who gave his name only as Julius, said for most residents, they had strong feeling that the election might not hold because of likely violence that might overwhelm the security forces deployed in the area.
The resident asked rhetorically, “What can 5,000 policemen deployed in the state do? With the kind of weapons in the area, the policemen would all take cover when shooting starts.”
A resident of Oporoma, Mr. Friday Coronation, said it would be foolhardy for anybody to take assurances from the security forces seriously.
He said he and his family had decided to move to the neighbouring Rivers State because “the signs are very bad”.
Coronation said, “‘We have seen what these people have brought into the communities, we know the capability of these weapons and we know the ability of those people who brought these weapons, not only to deploy them, but also their willingness to use them at the slightest provocation, or should I say, opportunity.
“These people are desperate and deadly and they may use these weapons tomorrow. Forget about what anybody tells you, we know what is happening here and what will happen at the end of the day.”
A boat driver, who gave his name as Preye, said boat drivers had been making brisk business because of the number of people leaving the area.
He said, “We are making a lot of money, getting people out of the place. The people are so anxious to get out of the place and they are all going in different directions.
“Some are going towards Delta State while some are going to either towards Yenagoa, the state capital or neighbouring Rivers State.’’
But the spokesman for the Bayelsa State Police Command, Mr. Asinim Butswat, allayed the fears of the residents.
He said the police had taken over strategic locations in Southern Ijaw and other areas the rerun would take place.
Butswat said though he had yet to get report that some persons were fleeing, he nevertheless urged the fleeing residents to go back to their areas, assuring them of adequate protection.
