The Chairman, Southern Ijaw Local Government, Target Segibo has condemned the killing of Francis Palaowei, a final year Political Science student, Niger Delta University, Amassoma, Bayelsa by some youths.
Supreme News reports that Palaowei lost his life on Tuesday following disagreement over a N500 levy at an entertainment spot on Wilberforce Island, Amasoma.
Palaowei had gone to the island, near the university, to climb to the top of a sand dump that attracts a levy of N150 from the youths.
The youths, on siting many visitors who wished to climb the sand dump, increased the levy to N500 from N150. In the argument that ensued, Palaowei was killed.
In a statement, the chairman’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Ayebaitari Easterday, regretted that Palaowei’s life was cut short at a time members of his family were preparing to reap benefits of their labour for him.
Segibo called on security agencies to leave no stone unturned in fishing out perpetrators of the dastardly act to serve as a deterrent to others.
“On assumption of office, I had in my maiden address to the people made it explicitly clear that the Southern Ijaw Local Government, under my watch, had zero tolerance for crime and criminality.
“The gruesome killing of Francis Palaowei, therefore, is not only coming as a surprise but as an affront to the state government.
” I, therefore, wish to condemn the action in its totality, and wish to call on security agencies in the area to fish out perpetrators of the dastardly act and bring them to book soonest,” the chairman stated.
Segibo, however, appealed to members of the Palaowei family, the university community and the general public to maintain the peace, pending when the culprits were arrested and charged.