You have no power to remove any monarch in your communities – Gov Diri warns Bayelsa youths

Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, has warned youths of Ogboinbiri community, in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state, to desist from the unlawful removal of paramount rulers.

Governor Diri, who also extended the warnings to other youths in the state, said there were laws guiding chieftaincy issues in the state and that any chief or traditional ruler recognised by the government cannot be removed without following due process.

He gave the warning on Tuesday in Government House, Yenagoa, during a meeting with leaders of Ogboinbiri community, which had been embroiled in a crisis recently.

He noted that the youths of Ogboinbiri infringed on the state’s chieftaincy law by attempting to forcefully remove their paramount ruler.

While condemning the action of the youths and the community development committee, Gov Diri, said the youth president and CDC chairman as well as the paramount ruler would remain in their positions but directed that they write a letter of apology to the state government with a promise to work with the paramount ruler.

The governor further warned that the full weight of the law would descend on anyone who forcefully removes a government-recognised paramount ruler while explaining
that the interest of his administration was to maintain peace in the state to engender development.

He said: “Henceforth, we will not take it lightly with community youths that contravene our laws. They will face the wrath of the law in court. Enough of the brigandage in our communities.

“Across the length and breadth of Bayelsa State, any youth who takes the law into his hands on the issue of removal of chiefs would be prosecuted.

“The moment a chief is recognised by the state, whether he is third class, second class or first class, you cannot remove him again. Our law states that he is the chief of that community for life. Unless he has contravened the law, involved in financial mismanagement, absent from his domain and he cannot discharge the duties and functions of a traditional ruler. Even at that, you are not the one to remove him.