Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has taken a decisive and heavy-handed step to restore order in the troubled Ogboinbiri community. On Thursday night, the Governor announced the immediate sack of the community’s paramount ruler, Chief Okosughe Eseimokumo, following a violent conflict in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area that tragically claimed a life and saw several homes razed by fire.
The announcement came during the April 2026 Praise Night held at the Government House in Yenagoa. Governor Diri didn’t stop at the traditional leadership; he also ordered the complete dissolution of the Ogboinbiri council of chiefs, the Community Development Committee, and all existing youth organizations. He expressed deep disappointment, noting that while the state had held off on formally recognizing the monarch in hopes that peace would return, it became clear the leadership could no longer hold the community together.
The governor’s frustration stems from years of mediation efforts that failed to yield results. Diri revealed that he had personally hosted various factions in his office and set up multiple committees over the last three years to resolve lingering disputes. However, the recent escalation into killing and arson served as the final straw for the state government, which has now imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on the oil-rich area.
To fill the leadership vacuum, the Deputy Governor and the Commissioner for Local Government have been tasked with forming an interim governing committee. This panel will manage the affairs of Ogboinbiri until security is guaranteed. Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police has been given strict orders to track down and prosecute those responsible for the recent violence, with the Governor insisting that the law must take its full course to deter future evil acts.
During his address, Governor Diri also touched on a deeper issue affecting oil-bearing communities. He lamented the fact that residents are often at each other’s throats over what he described as “peanuts,” while the oil companies operating on their land extract vast wealth. He urged the people of Ogboinbiri and beyond to stop the internal blood-letting over minor financial gains, emphasizing that unity is more valuable than the pittance often fought over.
In a shift toward infrastructure, the Governor also shared some positive news regarding the state’s 60-megawatt gas turbine project. He informed the public that technical experts are in the final stages of work at the power plant. He asked for continued patience from the citizens, promising that the administration’s significant investments would soon translate into a more stable and reliable electricity supply for the state.
The evening, which was intended for spiritual reflection, featured a sermon by Pastor Daniel Forcados on the liberating power of praise. While the message focused on the biblical story of Paul and Silas, the atmosphere remained charged with the weight of the Governor’s earlier declarations. For the people of Ogboinbiri, the focus now shifts to whether this radical change in local governance can finally bring an end to years of unrest.
