Why We Deployed Troops To Nembe – JTF

The authorities of the Joint Military Task Force code named Operation Pulo Shield and Bayelsa Police Command yesterday confirmed the deployment of armed soldiers and Policemen to Nembe Local Government Area over a crisis triggered by the choice of candidate for the forthcoming Local Government poll by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the area. The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Kingsley Omire, who confirmed the invasion of soldiers, told LEADERSHIP SUNDAY that the free-for-all occurred at a funeral.
According to Omire ,”Two different groups of various political persuasion clashed in a funeral on Saturday. Some people were wounded and one of the victims who had a cut on his head died in a hospital in Yenagoa”.
He said the police were not informed about the funeral to enable them provide adequate security during the event.
LEADERSHIP SUNDAY gathered that two political factions in the council were at dagger’s drawn over issues bordering on the emergence of the next chairman of the council.
The JTF Commander in the area, Lt.Col. Muktar Adamu was said to have deployed soldiers in the communities to forestall the violence.
Commenting on the development, the Media Coordinator, JTF, Lt. Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, told our correspondent that the political tussle in the council forced the JTF to deploy its troops to avert further loss of lives.
Nwachukwu said there was a need for the deployment after the factions clashed at the funeral of the former vice-chairman of the council.”This led to the reinforcement of our troops. We have arrested some persons suspected to have led the fracas. But peace has now returned to the place”, he said.