Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri has taken sweeping action in Ogboinbiri, dissolving the traditional leadership after fresh violence left one person dead and homes destroyed. The decision removes Chief Okosughe Benson Eseimokumo as paramount ruler, along with the council of chiefs, youth leaders, and the community development committee.
The unrest, which has plagued the oil‑rich community for nearly three years, flared again over disputes tied to a former youth leader and allegations of stolen electric poles. The clashes escalated into deadly confrontations, prompting the government to impose a dusk‑to‑dawn curfew and deploy security forces.
Diri said the state had exhausted dialogue and mediation efforts but could no longer tolerate killings and arson. “Enough is enough,” he declared, stressing that thuggery and destruction of lives and property would not be allowed to continue. He directed his deputy and the commissioner for local government affairs to set up an interim committee to oversee the community.
The governor also ordered police to arrest and prosecute those responsible for the violence. He noted that Eseimokumo had never been formally recognized as paramount ruler because of the instability, adding that he had failed to unite the community.
Residents reacted with mixed emotions. Some welcomed the move, saying leadership had failed to bring peace, while others worried that dismantling traditional structures could deepen divisions. On social media, many Bayelsans praised Diri’s firmness, while critics accused the government of sidelining local voices.
Observers point out that disputes in Ogboinbiri often stem from competition over oil company benefits. Diri himself remarked that the community’s share of proceeds was “peanuts compared to what the oil companies get,” suggesting that limited resources have fueled repeated clashes.
The crisis underscores broader tensions in Nigeria’s oil‑producing regions, where communities frequently battle over resource distribution and leadership legitimacy. Analysts warn that unless structural reforms address these grievances, violence could persist despite government interventions.
For now, Ogboinbiri remains under curfew, with security forces maintaining order. The interim committee is expected to begin work immediately, but whether it can stabilize the community and rebuild trust remains uncertain. Diri’s decisive action marks one of the strongest interventions in Bayelsa’s recent history, reflecting the urgency of restoring peace in a community vital to the state’s oil economy.
