It is with a heavy heart and the deepest sense of sorrow that I extend my most heartfelt condolences to the family of the late Mr. Patrick Peresuodei, to the people of Amassoma, and to all of Bayelsa State. The loss of a young life is a wound that cuts across every family, every household, and every heart in our constituency. Patrick was one of ours. His passing is not merely a personal tragedy confined to one home; it is a collective grief that we must carry together, and it demands not only mourning but also a firm and unwavering commitment to accountability.
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I wish to extend this condolence equally to the brother of the deceased, Mr. Destiny Peresuodei, who himself endured an unspeakable ordeal during the same period, and to every member of the extended Peresuodei family. May God grant them the strength to bear this burden. May the memory of Patrick be a source of light, not darkness, and may the love that surrounded him in life sustain those he left behind.
I write to the people of Southern Ijaw and all well-meaning Bayelsans not merely to offer words of comfort, but to assure you that since the moment reports of this tragedy reached my office, I have been actively and privately engaged on this matter at every level available to me. This is not a statement born of public pressure. It is a statement born of responsibility.
Within hours of the incident coming to my attention, I made direct contact with relevant authorities, including senior officers within the Bayelsa State Police Command and representatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. I have also been in communication with state lawmakers in the House of Assembly who represent the four constituencies in Southern Ijaw Local Government and who share a deep stake in the outcome of this matter. The conversations have been frank, and the message from my office has been consistent and unambiguous: justice must be pursued with the same urgency and seriousness with which this life was lost.
Based on the information available to me, including official communications from the Bayelsa State Police Command and the testimonies that have been made public by members of the Peresuodei family, I understand that progress is being made in the pursuit of justice.
I am aware of, and I commend, the steps that have already been taken by the security agencies in response to this matter. The Bayelsa State Police Command has confirmed the commencement of a full-scale investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mr. Patrick Peresuodei’s death. The Commissioner of Police, CP Iyamah Daniel Edebor, has personally directed this investigation, and a manhunt for Mr. Bodmas Prince Kemepadei and his associates has been launched.
Recent reports indicate that four officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps who allegedly accompanied Mr. Kemepadei during the events of the 15th of January have been apprehended. Additionally, one Mr. Agusi Oyeintari, who is alleged to have led Mr. Kemepadei and his associates to the residence of the Peresuodei brothers on that date, has been arrested by the Amassoma Police Division and taken to Yenagoa. These are meaningful and encouraging developments, and they reflect the kind of decisive action that this matter demands.
I also wish to acknowledge the role played by the Divisional Police Officer of the Amassoma Division, Mr. Bodonyefa Peter, whose timely and thoughtful engagement with the family and community at the outset of this crisis helped to maintain a degree of calm and order during an extraordinarily difficult time.
I also wish to acknowledge and commend His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri, Governor of Bayelsa State, and the Honourable Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Biriyai Dambo, SAN, for the decisive steps already taken by the State Government. The Ministry of Justice has taken over active coordination of this matter and is working closely with the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to ensure a thorough, impartial, and transparent investigation, with a clear directive from the Governor that the matter will be prosecuted by the State upon conclusion of investigations.
It is precisely because progress is being made that I appeal to the people of Amassoma, the youth of Southern Ijaw, and every concerned citizen across Bayelsa State to remain calm. I understand fully the depth of the anger that this tragedy has stirred. That anger is not only justified; it is right. But it must be channeled wisely. The path to justice runs through due process, through the courts, and through lawful accountability. It does not run through vigilante action, through the silencing of voices, or through informal settlements conducted behind closed doors.
Let it be said clearly: every individual who played a part in the events that led to the death of Patrick Peresuodei, whether civilian, uniformed officer, or otherwise, must be identified, investigated, and, where culpability is established, brought to face the full weight of the law before a court of competent jurisdiction. There will be no negotiation of a human life. There will be no quiet resolution. There will only be justice, delivered through the proper channels of the law.
I want to assure the family of Mr. Patrick Peresuodei, the people of Amassoma, and all of Bayelsa State that I will continue to follow this matter closely. My office will remain in active communication with the relevant authorities. I will not rest until there is a clear and transparent accounting of what happened to Patrick, and until every person who bears responsibility has answered for it.
Justice will be served. That is not a hope. It is a commitment.
Signed:
Hon. Engr. Rodney Ambaiowei
The Honourable Member
Representing Southern Ijaw Federal Constituency
House of Representatives, National Assembly of Nigeria
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