Nathan Tamarapreye, Yenagoa
The Bayelsa State government has called on the people of Kabeama Community in Sagbama Local Government Area and their counterparts of Amatolo in Southern Ijaw Area of the state to be calm sequel to reports of a man beheading his girlfriend on Saturday.
The Police Spokesman in the state, ASP Musa Mohammed told our reporter on the telephone on Tuesday that the man who allegedly used a cutlass to behead his lover is already in custody.
“The Divisional Police Officer of Sagbama Division got the report and dispatched officers to the crime scene who found out that the suspect had been apprehended by community youths.
“The suspect is being interrogated and will soon be charged to court while the remains of the deceased have been evacuated to the mortuary at Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa,” Mohammed said.
The Bayelsa Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, reacted to the development in a statement issued on Tuesday by his media aide, Mr Doubara Atasi.
Appealing to the deceased community to drop the planned reprisal attack the deputy governor said the government had been properly briefed about the incident and appropriate measures were being taken to ensure that justice was served.
Ewhrudjakpo, who condemned the dastardly act whereby an indigene of Kabeama allegedly beheaded his girlfriend on Saturday, described the sad development as totally unacceptable.
He stated that the security agencies have since swung into action, in line with government directives on the matter.
He subsequently urged the Chiefs and people of the two communities to avoid utterances and actions that would escalate the issue, but rather cooperate with the government and the security agencies to ensure an amicable settlement of the matter.
The deputy governor advised the youths of Amatolo not to take the laws into their hands by carrying out reprisal attacks on the Kabeama community.
He expressed the condolences of the state government to the family of the deceased and assured them of justice.