The leadership crisis in the Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide  (IYC) took a bloody turn on Thursday,  June 23 when heavily armed members stormed the Rhythm FM radio station, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State in buses and other vehicles.
It was gathered that the visibly enraged youths, had invaded the station, inorder to prevent  two executive members of the IYC , who were  guests on a live radio programme, Talk of the Town, anchored by Lishman Onisodemuya from making pronouncements that were against the IYC President, Mr. Udengs Eradiri, and the council’s spokesman, Mr. Eric Omare .
The youths were said to have fired gunshots into the air , on arriving the premises of the radio station,  forcing employees in both the radio and television studios of the Silverbird Group to run to safety.Â
The station was temporarily shutdown as they broke into the radio studio, interrupted the programme and dragged out the National Mobilisation Officer of IYC, Mr. Wisdom Ikuli, and a self-acclaimed IYC spokesman Mike Edounkimor, who were beaten to stupour with bruises all over their faces..
Policemen, who arrived the area, were said to have arrested the duo and taken them to the Ekeki Police Station in Yenagoa.
Our source revealed that Ikuli had  invited violence when he appeared in the studio on the same programme barely 24 hours after Eradiri did , to announce that Eradiri and Omare had been removed and warned them to stop parading themselves as the President and spokesman for the IYC,
Youths loyal to Eradiri had invaded the station on hearing the announcement.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Bayelsa State Command, Mr. Asinim Butswat, confirmed that investigation has commenced into the incident.
