The Bayelsa State Government has called on the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, to as matter of urgency fish out the soldiers who murdered the Government House Photographer, Mr. Reginald Dei, and the leader of the Peoples Democratic Party in Oweikorogha, Mr. Seidougha Taribi during the just concluded Presidential/National Assembly elections in the state.
This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by the Director in charge of Strategic Communications, Governor’s Office, Chief Nathan Egba-Ologo.
According to the statement, the Director stated that the COAS has a responsibility to redeem the image of the Army to ensure the arrest and trial of the soldiers who murdered Dei and Seidougha in Southern Ijaw on Election Day.
He pointed out that the deceased was killed in the house of Taribi while they were waiting for the results of the election in their polling units several metres away from the polling unit where they voted.
He said that Buratai should be wary of tying the Army to the disgusting disposition of the Bayelsa APC to violence and criminality by taking the proactive step to investigate the circumstances leading to the murder of the Government House Photographer and the PDP Leader in the state.
He explained that the earlier narrative that the deceased were killed by soldiers in Army uniform would not stand anymore as the Publicity Secretary of APC, Mr Buokoribo Doifie, has confirmed in reports that a member of his party identified as Thankgod Deizigha led the soldiers to the residence where they were shot.
According to Egba-Ologo, the claim by the APC Spokesman in Bayelsa that the duo were shot because they found election materials with them was a wild allegation which should be investigated.
He added that the desperate attempt by Doifie to justify the gruesome murder by alleging the deceased were killed during a gun battle was evil wilder and should be investigated by the Army authorities to ascertain the culpability or otherwise of its operatives in the brazen murder of two innocent Nigerian citizens.
He said that the Bayelsa State Government would adopt all lawful measures to ensure that those behind the heinous act are brought to justice.
According to him, “the Bayelsa State Government is making a passionate appeal to the Chief Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, to investigate, identify and prosecute the soldiers who murdered a Government House Photographer, Mr Reginald Dei, and a Chieftain òf the PDP, Mr Seidougha Taribi, on February 23, 2019, in Southern Ijaw
“Contrary to our initial thinking that the gruesome murder was carried out by armed men in Army uniform, fresh facts have emerged that soldiers of the Nigerian Army killed the photojournalist and his friend in Southern Ijaw
“The State Publicity Secretary òf the APC, Mr Doifie Buokoribo, said in a report carried by the Nation Newspaper òf March 5, 2019, that an agent of the APC led the soldiers to the residence of Seidougha Taribi to kill the deceased during a phantom gun battle
“We are of the strong view that the Nigerian Army under the leadership òf Gen. Buratai has a responsibility to intervene and ensure investigation of this brazen act to redeem the image of the service
“The Bayelsa State Government and Bayelsans would adopt all lawful means to seek justice in this brazen act of terror perpetrated against our citizens by a collusion of thugs and soldiers
