The Bayelsa State Command of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) on Tuesday initiated conflict resolution tactics to secure a ceasefire from warring cult groups in the State.
It warned that further conflict and killings will lead to automatic arrest and prosecutions of identified leaders.
The cult clashes which have resulted in the killing of seven persons in the last one-week along the Igbogene, Amarata, Swali and Ekeki axis of the State capital, was as a result of an alleged struggle over the control of revenue from the newly deployed State Transport Terminal located at Igbogene.
It was alleged that the Igbogene axis, where the Bus terminal was located, was under the control of the Greenlanders cult group, but other cult groups such as the Icelanders, Vikings, Bobos and Dee-bams were struggling to have a share of such expected revenues.
It was also gathered that the State Commissioner of Police, Francis Izu, who was disturbed by the rising cases of killings, ordered the tactical team of Operation Puff Adder led by CSP Chris Nwaogbo to invite all the leaders of the cult groups and issue them a caution.
It was gathered that the leaders of the cult groups, after declining the invitation out of fear of the tactical team, approached the top echelon of the police to meet with the State Commissioner of Police over the issue.
At the meeting, which was said to have started on Monday and ended on Tuesday, about ten heads of cult groups in the state, it was learnt agreed that ” forthwith, all cases of violence and killings will stop.
It was learnt that they also agreed to send messages to all their foot soldiers and submitted that the police should hold any leader of any cult group identified in any further violence responsible.
A source from the State Police Command said the undertaking was signed to bring a halt to the killings and bloodshed,” but the investigation into individuals responsible for the killings of the people is ongoing and they will be brought to book.” he stated.
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