The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Bayelsa police

  • Bayelsa police arrest suspects in judge’s kidnap

    Bayelsa police arrest suspects in judge’s kidnap

    ….honour officer who rejected $17,000 bribe

    The Bayelsa State Police Command has arrested members of the gang responsible for the abduction of Justice Ebiyerin Umukoro of the Bayelsa State High Court, while a manhunt is ongoing for the gang leader, still at large.

    Justice Umukoro was kidnapped on June 21 in Yenagoa and held for 12 days before being rescued through the coordinated efforts of security agencies in the state.

    Governor Douye Diri revealed the arrest during the State Executive Council meeting held at the Government House in Yenagoa.

    He also used the occasion to honour Superintendent of Police Sentome Obi, who rejected a $17,000 bribe offered by a suspect involved in an organ harvesting case.

    In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, Governor Diri said, “All those who committed the crime were apprehended except one who is still on the run. Bayelsa State has zero tolerance for crime and criminality.”

    The governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to strengthening security in the state through technological advancements, including the deployment of drones and installation of CCTV cameras across Yenagoa.

    READ ALSO: Troops foil terrorist attacks, neutralise dozens in Zamfara-Niger axis

    He praised SP Obi for his gallantry, integrity, and service to the state, recommending him for promotion and rewarding him with a three-bedroom flat and a car.

    “At a time when the Nigerian Police is grappling with image challenges, Bayelsa has produced an officer with honour and integrity. SP Obi not only made the state proud, but also uplifted the image of the Nigerian Police Force,” Diri said.

    Bayelsa Police Commissioner, Mr. Francis Idu, congratulated SP Obi and urged the government to continue investing in security to ensure the safety of lives and property in the state.

  • Police parade arms recovered from criminals in Bayelsa

    Police parade arms recovered from criminals in Bayelsa

    The Bayelsa State Police Command on Monday paraded cache of arms recovered from suspected criminals operating in different parts of the state, especially Yenagoa, the state capital.

    About 66 different rifles, 105 of 7.62mm ammunition, one dynamite, 190 cartridges, 12.9mm ammunition and one grenade were among the haul of arms and ammunition paraded by the state Police Commissioner, Mr. Asuquo Amba.

    Also paraded were – 40 locally-made pistols, five locally-made double barrel guns, 11 pump action guns, three revolver pistols, one K2 rifle and four AK47 rifles.

    Amba, who described the haul of arms as alarming, condemned the increasing unlawful possession of firearms.

    He, however, said efforts were ongoing to mop them up.

    He said the police arrested 561 suspects within the year, adding that 107 suspects were nabbed for unlawful possession of firearms.

    Among the suspects, he said 29 cases were under investigations, 30 filed for legal advice at the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) and 13 charged to court.

    Amba, who called for a special intervention to curb circulation of illegal firearms, noted that 177 cases of armed robberies were reported to the police, leading to arrest of 241 suspects.

     

  • Sit-at-home: Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa police warn against use of force

    There is tension in Anambra State following today’s sit-at-home order by the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and Ingenious People of Biafra (IPOB).

    A tour round the city showed that Automated Teller Machine (ATM) points and markets were beseiged by residents wanting to stock their homes with foodstuff for the period of the sit-at-home.

    But the police have warned those who planned to disrupt the peace of the state to reconsider their stand as they are prepared to face any insurrection.

    Commissioner of Police Samuel Okaula urged the people not panic. He said security operatives were on ground to ensure they go about their normal businesses without fear.

    “We are on ground to maintain law and other. The situation is under control and there is no need to entertain any fear from any quarter.

    “My men will be patrolling every nook and cranny of the state tomorrow (today) to ensuring that people are not molested,” Okaula said.

    The Abia State Commissioner of Police, Leye Oyebade, said the command is ready to squash any attempt by anybody, or group, to cause trouble.

    Oyebade, who addressed reporters in Umuahia, said the fundamental rights of the people should not be trampled upon.

    According to him, nobody has the right to tell Abians to stay at home and not go about their lawful businesses, stressing that the constitution is very explicit on the freedom of association and movement.

    He said: “We have put in place all necessary machinery for the people to enjoy their democracy day holidays, and other days thereafter, as their security is assured at all times.”

    The police in Bayelsa have warned members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) against actions capable of disrupting public peace.

    It said it was collaborating with other security agencies to deal with anyone creating panic and fear under the guise of agitation.

    Commissioner of Police Asuquo Amba, who spoke through the spokesman, Butswat Asinim, urged Igbos and other residents to go about their routines without fear.

    The warning came following reports that circulars were being discreetly circulated in Yenagoa, the state capital, asking Igbo traders to observe a sit-at-home today.

    Asinim said the police and other security agencies would deploy operatives in flash points to curtail activities of miscreants.

    He said: “Concerning the agitation, the Bayelsa police command, in collaboration with other security agencies, have put in place a robust operation order to curtail activities of miscreants.

    “We will deploy anti-riot policemen to various locations in the town that may be considered as flash points. The  public should not fear but go about their lawful duties.

    Meanwhile, IPOB’s  National Publicity Secretary Emma Powerful, yesterday alerted that helicopters were deployed to monitor the home of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

    He called on the international community to prevail on the Federal Government to allow them observe their sit-at-home in commemoration of Biafra’s 50th anniversary.

  • Hoodlums kill policeman in Bayelsa beer parlour

    Unidentified hoodlums have killed a policeman in a beer parlour in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

    It was gathered that the hoodlums stole a police AK47 riffle after hacking their victim to death at one of the relaxation spot along the Hospital Road area of the state capital.

    The incident, which happened on Sunday, reportedly caused panic in the area that is notorious for prostitution and forced many pubs to temporarily shut down their business.

    A source, who spoke in confidence, said the policeman went to the pub with his riffle to drink some bottles of beer.

    He said unknown to the deceased, some bandits, who were interested in his rifle joined him at the bar pretending to be customers.

    “After taking some bottles, the policeman stood up and went to the backyard to urinate. He was holding his riffle. But the criminals also followed him to the backyard where they attacked and killed him. They fled with his gun,” he said.

    It was gathered that the police later raided shanties occupied by prostitutes in the area in search of the fleeing hoodlums.

    Multiple security sources including a senior police officer, who spoke in confidence, confirmed the development.

    Efforts to reach the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Asinim Butswat, proved abortive as he was said to be in an emergency senior officers’ meeting with the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Asuquo Amba.

     

  • Police stop ASUU street protest in Bayelsa

    The police on Tuesday continued their nationwide clampdown on street protests organised by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.

    This time it was in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, where the Niger Delta University’s chapter of the union was prevented by the police from holding a public rally to protest the Federal Government’s refusal to implement the 2009 agreement signed by both parties.

    The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Hilary Opara, was said to have issued an order to the leadership of ASUU-NDU preventing any form of public protest by the union.

    The order, however, allowed the aggrieved university lecturers to hold their protest within the university’s Law Faculty in Yenagoa.

    The placard-carrying lecturers soon converted their protest to a prayer session where they took turns to “cast and bind” all the spirits that had prevented the government from honoring the agreement.

    The lecturers also sought divine intervention to all the cases of blackmail and intimidation against the union by the Federal Government.

    Chairman of ASUU-NDU, Beke Sese, who addressed the rally, also disclosed that the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to Governor Seriake Dickson interrogated him few hours to the planned protest.

    Some of the placards displayed by the lecturers bore messages such as, “Not every child can go to Ghana to study,” “Agreement is Agreement,” “Government save our universities,” “Poor people’s children need universities,” “Can your child afford to go to Ghana and Malaysia, if no then join ASUU to better our universities.”

    Sese said the 17-week old strike was being sustained by ASUU’s collective resolve to stem the downward trend government had subjected public education to.

    He said the government was “systematically destroying public education through mindless neglect and near total abandonment.”

    He also observed that some opposition politicians had capitalised on the strike to cast aspersions on the government and thereby trivialising ASUU’s genuine struggle.

    Sese said ASUU struggles had been driven by legitimate causes rather than regional, ethnic or any other political considerations.

    He said the on-going strike has presented the government a golden opportunity to make history by revitalizing public universities in Nigeria.