Tension As Security Officials Seal Off Ijaw House

By Joseph Bienbo, Yenagoa

Security officials have sealed off Ijaw House in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, preventing delegates from accessing the premises for today’s scheduled Ijaw National Congress (INC) elections.

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According to reports, a combined security team is on the ground, and the order to seal the house was given by the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) zone 16 following conflicts within the Congress.

The AIG has invited conflicting parties for a meeting at 9am today, and the outcome will determine whether the election will proceed or not. The INC president and major presidential candidates were not available for comment at the time of filing this report.

The election was already facing challenges after the National Conference of Ijaw Traditional Rulers and Elders (N-CITRE) suspended the polls, citing unresolved disputes and petitions from aggrieved parties. A seven-man Dispute Resolution Committee has been set up to investigate the issues.