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Army Deploys More Troops to Bayelsa

Daily Trust (Abuja)
NEWS
November 29, 2005
Posted to the web November 29, 2005

By Ikenna Emeka Okpani

Tension heightened in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa state capital, yesterday following
the deployment of troops to the politically-charged state by the Obasanjo
administration.
Speculation is rife in the state capital that the federal government decided on
the option of sending troops to the area to intimidate the embattled Governor
Diepreye Alamieyeseigha who faces impeachment over his involvement in money
laundry offences and subsequent prosecution in Britain.
Confirming the deployment of troops to Yenagoa, the commander of the Joint Task
Force's "Operation Restore Hope" in Effurun, Warri, Brigadier-General Elias
Zamani, said that the major objective of sending troops to Bayelsa state is to
protect life and property, and forestall the breakdown of law and order.
Brig.-Gen. Zamani denied that the Obasanjo administration decided on strong arm
tactics to force Governor Alamieyeseigha to resign from office or facilitate
his impeachment by the state lawmakers.
The commander said that the deployment is in response to the appearance of
armed militant youths said to be the personal security men of the governor, but
who might actually be agents of destabilsation employed by the governor to
cause political violence.
"The area has been tense. There have been attempts by the state assembly to
impeach the governor. Militant armed youths have been moved into that place.
"There are different groups. The way things are going, it could escalate to
where different groups start fighting. So, ours is a preemptive step to save
lives and property," Brig.-Gen. Zamani said.
While Alameiyeseigha has accused the Obasanjo administration of persecuting him
politically and trying to cause mayhem in the state as a pretext to imposing a
state of emergency and stripping him of his powers, the armed soldiers deployed
to Yenagoa have set up road blocks throughout the capital and searched
vehicles.
President Obasanjo has meanwhile frozen the accounts of Bayelsa state as a
further means of stifling the governor's political influence and has written
Prime Minister Tony Blair complaining about the unusual manner the governor
escaped from London.
The public relations officer of the Joint Task Force's "Operation Restore
Hope," Major Sa'id Hammed, has also said in a press statement on behalf of the
commander of the Task Force that sequel to recent developments in Bayelsa state
the security situation around Yenagoa and its environs has become most unstable
and could degenerate to a total breach of peace and security with threats to
lives and property in the vicinity."
As a result of the unpredictable security situation, he said, some
establishments have been forced to close down. The presence of armed militant
youths both in support and against the governor of the state has heightened the
tension.
Intelligence reports revealed that some of the armed youths roam the streets of
Yenagoa dressed in military combat gear:
"In the present circumstance the peace and security of the state is gradually
drifting towards chaos and anarchy. To forestall the drift and restore the hope
of the law abiding citizens therefore the Joint Task Force, in compliance with
its mandate of maintaining law and order in the Niger Delta, deployed its
troops to Yenagoa and environs on November 28 2005 to ensure the security of
lives and property," army spokesman added.
The task force commander maintained that the deployment of the troops to
Yenagoa and its environs is intended to avert chaos and violence, and ensure
that peace and tranquility reigns amongst the citizens of the state.
The commander also used the opportunity to warn the youths roaming the streets
of Yenagoa in military combat gear to desist from such acts.
Residents of Yenagoa woke up in the early hours of yesterday to see heavily
armed soldiers in the state capital and its environs.
The soldiers took positions at all strategic locations within the state capital
but the presence of the soldiers did stop the protest marches that took place
yesterday both in support of and against the governor's continued stay in
office

   

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