Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has removed Chief Wilcox Seiyefa, the paramount ruler of Swali Community, from his Ebeniken chieftaincy throne. The governor announced the decision through his deputy, Peter Akpe, during a stakeholder meeting at Government House in Yenagoa on Tuesday.
Diri acted on recommendations from a fact-finding committee that investigated the ruler's conduct. Seiyefa and his Council of Chiefs had been suspended on May 21, 2025, after accusations that they aided insecurity in the community.
The governor justified the removal under Section Six of Bayelsa's Chieftaincy Law, which covers maintaining peace and good governance across the state. He said the suspended leadership had failed to take firm decisions when violence erupted in the area.
"The fact-finding committee engaged various stakeholders in Swali Community, and also got advice from security agencies on the way forward," Diri said. "From the recommendations of the committee, following their findings, it is clear that, as at the time those actions were taken, the leadership was weak and not firm to take decisions to manage the situation."
The committee had consulted widely within Swali before reaching its conclusions about the ruler's performance. Security officials also provided input on what steps authorities should take next.
Diri has directed officials to begin selecting a new paramount ruler immediately. He gave them three months to complete the election process for the "major and important community" of Swali.
