‘Dickson after my life’ — Bayelsa monarch petitions IGP

Amalate Turner, traditional ruler of Opume kingdom, Ogbia local government area of Bayelsa, has accused Seriake Dickson, governor of the state, of threatening his life.

In a petition, through his lawyers, to the inspector-general of police and dated July 17, the king said the governor had issued the threat when he called his son over the telephone.

“Our client is a traditional ruler in Bayelsa state and a businessman and has reasons to believe that his life is in danger by the unwarranted, calculated and deliberate effort by Governor Seriake Henry Dickson- the Governor of Bayelsa State to eliminate him,” the petition read.

“Our client informs us that on the 15th of July, 2019, between the hours of 7:30am and 7:45am, Governor Seriake Henry personally placed a call to our client’s son – Erefagha Turner threatening that the trouble that Our Client is looking for, that he-Dickson is ready to give to our Client. Governor Seriake Henry Dickson further threatened that he was going to declare war which he (Dickson) is ready to carry to any level with Our Client.

“We are VERY WORRIED for the life of our client and his family as our client does not occupy any political position in Nigeria.

“We find Governor Seriake Dickson’s call to our client’s son which he ordered should be transmitted to our client, a direct threat to the very existence and life of our client as Governor Seriake Henry Dickson who enjoys full official immunity has all the resources of a state governor at his disposal and given his antecedence has the capacity to eliminate our client and unleash terror on his immediate family.

“We believe that the threat aforesaid is unwarranted and uncautionable as a declaration of war against as a traditional ruler is a call to eliminate our client.”

Calling on the police to carry out a full investigation into the matter, Turner also claimed that Trenure Nigeria Limited, his company, is being owed over N.18 billion by Bayelsa government, sum arising from executed contracts which the governor has deliberately failed and or refused to pay.

Fidelis Soriwei, a media aide to the governor, did not immediately respond to a message seeking his reaction over the matter.