Bayelsa monarch asks police boss for protection as Governor Dickson wants to eliminate him

BAYELSA State monarch King Amalate Turner of Opume Kingdom has written to the inspector-general of police and Department of State Services (DSS) demanding protection as Governor Seriake Dickson is after his life.

In an open letter to Mohamed Adamu, the inspector-general of police and the director of the Bayelsa State command of the DSS, King Amalate Turner, the Obigbo Mikimiki of Opume Kingdom in Ogbia Local Government Area, said he has already been threatened once by the governor. King Turner, who is a close associate of former president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, asked the police to investigate the alleged threat to his life by the governor and his agents.

Emmanuel Ochokwunu,  the monarch's lawyer, said:  “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 efforts of Governor Seriake Henry Dickson of Bayelsa State to eliminate him. Our client informs us that on the 15th of July, 2019, between the hours of 7.30am and 7.45am, Governor Seriake personally placed a call through the phone number 08036277477 to phone number 08036747677 belonging to our client’s son Erefagha Turner, threatening that the trouble that our client is looking for, he is ready to give.

"Governor Seriake Henry Dickson further threatened that he has declared war which he is ready to carry to any level against our client. Our client’s company Trenure Nigeria Limited is being owed over N1,800,000,000 by the Bayelsa State government arising from executed contracts which Governor Seriake Henry Dickson has deliberately failed and or refused to pay.

"This is already a subject of litigation in a court of competent jurisdiction. We find Governor Seriake Dickson’s call to our clients' 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 and kingdom.

“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.

He added that they were worried for the life of the royal father and his family as he does not occupy any political position in the country. King Turner, a former permanent secretary in the state civil service was a political godfather of Governor Dickson before they fell apart.