US Group Demand Probe of Election Violence Sponsors

- Call on US,UK to place travel ban on perpetrators

By Tony Okechukwu

The John Pofi Foundation working in collaboration with the United States Nigeria Law Group (USNLG) and the Coalition of Civil Society Groups for Electoral Integrity has demanded for a probe of the sponsors of election violence in Bayelsa state.

The groups also urged  the United States of America and the United Kingdom governments to place an immediate travel visa ban on unscrupulous politicians, who have sponsored,incited or executed violence in previous or forthcoming Bayelsa state elections.

Bayelsans will tomorrow go to the polls to elect their governor for a four-year tenure.The concerned groups called for a peaceful election in the state and read riot act to any perpetrators of election violence.
Already a driver of Outside Broadcasting Van attached to Radio Bayelsa,Simon Onu, was killed and scores shot on Wednesday during an attack by APC thugs on a People's Democratic Party rally in Nembe Ogbolomabiri, Bayelsa State.


In a statement by Rev John Pofi Behalf On behalf of the groups, “the violence in the state has led to several loss of lives and properties of innocent citizens of the State.
"This call became necessary, having observed events of the past few weeks, leading up to the governorship election in the State tomorrow. Our worries are based on the previous experience in past elections and the inability of the security agencies to arrest the situation.
"We are seriously doubtful of the capacity of these security agencies to arrest the next round of terror that may be instigated by these   same   set   of   politicians,   who   have   been   going   about,   inciting   violence   across   the communities in the State, while also recruiting militias to disrupt elections with impunity.

"This coalition is presently engaged in pre-election monitoring in Bayelsa State in tandem with previous  assessments of the 2015, 2016 and 2019 elections in Bayelsa  and the unprecedented level of violence witnessed in certain communities during the said period. It is fundamental at this time to remind the world that elections in some parts of Bayelsa have witnessed an unimaginable level of violence, sponsored by identified persons and unleashed on the innocent people of the state,leading to the death of many, with property destroyed.
"It is therefore alarming that despite witnessing at least three major seasons of violent attacks and violation of the fundamental rights of these innocent Nigerians, stakeholders including INEC, the federal government, the Bayelsa State government and other relevant security agencies have not acted on the report that detailed the atrocities and violations witnessed during the elections.
"As we speak, none of these perpetrators has been arrested or prosecuted, hence our call to the government of United States and the United Kingdom to impose a Visa ban on these known sponsors and perpetrators of violence in Bayelsa State during the elections. Incidentally, various reports on election violence in Bayelsa state captured audio  and   visual  recordings   and   testimonies   of  the   victims  of   the   violence   that   marred   the conduct of election in Southern Ijaw, Nembe, Ekeremor, Brass and some other parts of the state during   the   election.   Harmless   citizens   were   molested,   attacked   and   harassed   with   the complicity of those that ordinarily were supposed to protect the 2015/2016 governorship election. The incidents recorded during the 2019 general election remain one of the worst and under-reported cases of election violence in recent times. Many citizens were murdered, scores hospitalized with gunshot and machete injuries. Property worth billions of naira were looted, vandalized and burnt.

The people of Peremabiri community in Bayelsa have since January 2016 become Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in their own state and remain hostage to criminal elements mainly sponsored by oil pipeline surveillance contractors, reportedly funded by an oil multinational.
The likely consequence of the forthcoming Bayelsa Governorship election, is greater violence except urgent actions are taken. During the 2019 National and States assembly elections in the state, political thugs aided by security agents invaded polling stations across the electoral wards in the Nembe-Bassambiri state constituency. Several voters,mainly women and the elderly people, were assaulted and election materials hijacked. Residents of this peaceful town were chased out of their ancestral homes to neighbouring towns as well as Yenagoa were they have remained IDPs ever since. The militarization and armed banditry of 2019, resulted in several casualties once again in Southern Ijaw LGA, which saw the murder of two party   agents,   including   Mr   Reginald   Dei,   a   photographer   attached   to   the   Bayelsa   State Government House. He was allegedly killed in his bedroom by political opponents aided by men in army uniforms, who stormed his Oweikorogha community in Southern Ijaw local government area during the Presidential and National Assembly elections.
It is instructive to bring to our remembrance the ugly incident that occurred in Twon Brass, BrassLGA  on Sunday, February  24,  2019  when  a  serving  Deputy  Commissioner  of  Police,  Kola Okunola,  was abducted,  brutalized  and  nearly  killed  during  the elections.  A member  of  the House of Representatives, Hon. Isreal Sunny-Goli, was identified as the mastermind of this grave incident   and   was   arrested   by   the   police.   His   punishment   for   this   act   is   to   seat   among “Honourable” members in the House of Representatives.
Till date, these wounds are yet to heal, as the people do not only feel abandoned on a daily basis,but   have   also   come   to   a  conclusion   that   the   perpetrators   of   electoral   violence   are untouchable.  This is a narrative  which  we  intend  to change  without  further delay  by  ensuring  that justice is appropriately served. Therefore,  today, we  are  demanding  that the  perpetrators  of  these  ignoble acts  are  made  to account for their previous actions. We can no longer continue to reward perpetrators of crime against humanity, many of whom have found their way into government today. We are calling on lovers of democracy and the international community to beam their searchlight on persons such as Chief Timipre Sylva, Mr Sunny Goli, Mr David   Lyon,  Senator  Heineken  Lokpobiri   and  militant   leaders  Paul  Eris  {GeneralOgunboss},  among others.

This is the only way to prevent future occurrence of such incidents as well as strengthen the nation’s democracy.

What was witnessed in  Bayelsa   during  the   previous  elections  were   well  orchestrated  attacks against the people of the state. These actors are once again preparing for a repeat and the only way to checkmate it is to prosecute the perpetrators of the previous action. We hereby call on all patriotic Nigerians, leaders and members of the International community to join us as we commence this new phase of seeking justice for these victims of the senseless act of   political   desperation. 

Our democracy will continue to be endangered until we ensure that desperate politicians are made to answer for their deeds. Prosecuting the perpetrators of the unprecedented violence witnessed during the 2015/2016 Bayelsa governorship election and the 2019 general elections will send a strong warning and deter others from perpetrating such in future.