Bayelsa State Government yesterday, read the riot to all traditional rulers on aiding and abetting hostage taking, warning that they may spend the rest of their time in jail.
Speaking at a the stakeholders meeting in Yenagoa which lasted several four five hours, a disturbed Governor Goodluck Jonathan described as criminal the act of hostage taking in the region particularly in Bayelsa, noting that it was criminal for any person or group of persons to hold foreign oil workers to ransom.
He added that there was a particular situation in the past of which a traditional ruler of a community was alleged to have led some youths to take over the flow station as well as abducting oil workers. The Governor who noted that some of the traditional rulers by their conduct could be best categorized as restive youths and that any traditional rulers found to be encouraging this criminal act should be prepared to spend the rest of his life in jail.
�Hostage taking should not be giving any other name than a criminal act as it is wrong for any person to abduct or illegally be in possession of ammunition. If there is any dispute between the two communities or oil companies, such matters should be reported to the government. If anyone takes people hostage, he is committing a crime punishable under the constitution.��
Further he said �What we are striving at is the development of the state and this can only be achieved in a conducive environment.�
On a question asked by one of the participants on the militarisation of the area by the oil company, the forum pleaded with the security agents to desist from applying force whenever there is a peaceful demonstration.
One of the youth representatives from Nembe local government area had earlier warned that if the soldiers approached them with guns, they may be forced to defend themselves.
His words, �We will dispossess them through traditional means and use the same weapon to teach them the lesson of their lives�.
Also another participant called for the dissolution of the present executive council in the state as they were alleged to be part of the problems of the oil bearing communities in the state. Politicians were also not speared, as they were blamed for abandoning their constitutional responsibilities while they now put the whole blame on the oil companies which supposed not to be so.