Arms surrender in Bayelsa

Police in Bayelsa State on Wednesday in Yenagoa received arms and ammunition from 32 ex-militant leaders who said they were forced to submit the arms when they saw the genuineness of the on-going amnesty deal.

The arms included 428 guns of various calibers including AK 47, FMC and locally made pistols, two improvised explosive devices, axes, locally made rocket launcher, cartridges, cutlasses, submachine gun pellets, army uniforms and gun belts.

Aliyu Musa, the state police commissioner told newsmen said that although the period of submission of arms was over, he agreed to receive the arms as it was “not good to shun them and drive them away because amnesty is over.”

Musa explained that the arms and ammunition could be used to perpetrate violence particularly during the forthcoming elections and destroy the prevailing peaceful atmosphere stressing that prevention is better than cure.

He said the submission of arms was as a result of his appeal in a meeting with ex-militant leaders in the state not to allow themselves to be used as thugs during the elections to which they agreed that they would not be involved in electoral violence and thuggery.

Speaking on the elections, the police commissioner said 3,391 police officers wearing tags would be dispatched to various polling units for the elections but he has asked other military and paramilitary to assist the police in various ways.

He said the Navy would assist the police with gunboats as they are short in boats and gunboats while the Joint Task Force is expected to help out in areas where the police strength is stretched too thin.

Pointing out that the police is neutral in the coming elections, Musa said to avoid misunderstanding that could trail the use of its anti crime outfit, Operation Famou Tangbei the command would use conventional police patrol vehicles during the elections.

His statement is coming against a backdrop of complaints by opposition parties that Operation Famou Tangbei was a tool of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to harass and intimidate candidates of other parties.

According to the police commissioner, he would ordered the dispersion of the outfit but for the successes it has recorded since its inception in reducing crime in the state capital to its barest minimum.

Musa therefore used the occasion to further appeal to politicians and Bayelsans to embrace peace as the police would remain neutral in the forthcoming elections to allow for a level playing field in the interest of Bayelsans and Nigerians in general.

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APRIL POLLS : FEAR GRIPS SYLVA, CONSTITUTES RECONCILIATION COMMITTEE

Fear has gripped Governor Timipre Sylva following reports that some influential members of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who are aggrieved over the outcome of the party primaries at various levels may work against the success of the party in next month’s general elections.

While some of the party chiefs who are aggrieved resolved to remain in the party and work against the political fortunes of the party others have decamped to Labour Party, ACN, and CPC to actualize their ambitions for elective office.

Labour Party host Chief Timi Alaibe, former presidential aide on Niger Delta, Peremobowei Ebebi, immediate past Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State and Hon. Nelson Belief incumbent member of National Assembly while ACN host Chief Rufus Abadi former chairman of the party.

It is obvious that the battle line has been drawn for the soul of Bayelsa West Senatorial zone between Senator Heineken Lokpobiri who is seeking re-election on PDP platform and Ebebi who is making spirited attempts to unseat Lokpobiri on Labour Party platform.

Even members of the state House of Assembly who have secured the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) ticket for the April elections are making desperate efforts to ensure that they outwit their opponents or lobby them step down.

Determined to ensure that the ruling party approach the elections as a united family, Governor Sylva on Tuesday approved the constitution of a reconciliation committee headed by Senator John .K. Brambafa who has been criticizing his policies.

The ten member committee has chief Frank Okurakpo, Chief Alex Ekiotene, Mr. Blesson Akpoloma, Chief Victor Awoala, Professor Ayebaemi Spiff, Mrs. Emaculate Amaseimogha and Mrs. Gloria Izonfuo Perm Sec; General Services to serve as secretary.

A statement by the senior special assistant to the Governor on media, Mr. Preye Wariowei on behalf of the secretary to the state government named Douye Naingba, Dr. Bolere Ketebu and Mr. Ayebaesin Dienagha as members of the committee.

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N2bn Fraud: EFCC Slams Fresh Charges On Bayelsa Govt Officials

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Friday, slammed a six-fresh-count charge on three officials of the Bayelsa State government, while it withdrew earlier charges against the fourth accused.
The anti-graft commission had earlier dragged the Accountant-General of state, Francis Okokoro; Director of Treasury, Abbot Clinton; Director of Finance, Ikobho Howells and Dr. Charles Opuala before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja over alleged mismanagement of N2 billion.
When the matter came up on Friday, the prosecution counsel, Festus Keyamo, applied that the name of Okokoro be struck out and be discharged from the trial in line with the fresh amended charges.
The trial judge, Justice Donatus Okorowo, therefore, struck out Okokoro’s name from the charge and ordered that the remaining three accused persons should take a fresh plea.
Upon reading the further amended six-count charges to the accused persons, they pleaded not guilty to all the counts and were consequently admitted to bail on the same terms and condition as the earlier ones, following the requests of their counsel, Chris Uche (SAN), and Sunday Ameh (SAN).
Meanwhile, Keyamo continued with his prosecution witness 1, Mr. Adebayo Adeniyi, a police officer attached to the EFCC, who narrated the steps he took in the course of investigating the alleged N2 billion fraud.
After Adeniyi had concluded his evidence-in-chief, defence counsel, Uche (SAN), applied for adjournment till March 18 to cross-examine him, and the request was granted by the court.
The court, therefore, adjourned the matter till March 18 for cross examination.

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