The Bayelsa Government on Tuesday called for calm over report of the beheading of a girl on Saturday in Kabeama Community, Sagbama Local Government Area, by her boyfriend.
The call came amidst reported tension between members of the Kabeama and Amatolo communities where the girl and the boyfriend hail from. The state Deputy Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, in a statement by his media aide, Doubara Atasi, urged the two communities to allow the police to handle the matter.
He cautioned the girl’s community against reprisal, saying the government was taking appropriate measures to ensure justice for the deceased and her family. Ewhrudjakpo condemned the killing, saying it was an “unacceptable sad development”.
“Security agencies have since swung into action in line with government directives on the matter,” he added.
He therefore urged traditional leaders and people of the two communities to avoid utterances and actions that will escalate the issue. The deputy governor also appealed to both communities to cooperate with government and security agencies to ensure amicable handling of the matter.
He expressed the condolences of the state government to the family of the deceased and assured them of justice. Meanwhile, the Police Spokesman in Bayelsa, ASP Musa Mohammed, in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), confirmed the arrest of the deceased’s boyfriend.
“The Divisional Police Officer of Sagbama Division got the report and dispatched officers to the crime scene who found out that the suspect had been apprehended by community youths.
“The suspect is being interrogated and will soon be charged to court while the remains of the deceased have been evacuated to the mortuary at Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa,” Mohammed said.