The acting Inspector General of Police (IG),
Mohammed Adamu, has decried the attack on a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP)
in Brass, Bayelsa State, Mr. Kola Okunola, last Sunday and ordered the
immediate arrest, comprehensive investigation and diligent prosecution of
persons involved, "no matter their positions in society."
This is coming as a former Governor of Bayelsa
State and the All Progressives Congress (APC) leader in the state, Chief
Timipre Sylva, on Monday disputed reports that DCP Okunola was kidnapped by
loyal party members in Brass local council, insisting that the youths merely
resisted an attempt by the senior police officer to move the collation centre
unilaterally without consultation.
Adamu, who in a statement described the incident as
unwarranted and unprovoked, warned that under his watch such brazen acts of
impunity would not be condoned.
In a related incident, the statement which was signed by the
Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Frank Mba, disclosed that five male
suspects have been arrested in Umuahia, Abia State, over an attack on a Deputy
Superintendent of Police (DSP) who was patriotically defending the sanctity of
the electoral system at a collation centre in Umuahia.
He said: "These attacks have once again highlighted the
risks and hazards inherent in policing our clime, and the need for stakeholders
and government at all levels to continue to support the officers and men of the
Force in discharging their responsibilities."
Meanwhile, the IG has commended all Nigerians who by
their words and actions, have clearly identified with the Force by denouncing
these barbaric and uncivilized actions against Police Officers performing their
legitimate duties.
However, Sylva yesterday disputed reports that the
senior police officer was kidnapped by loyal party members in Brass local
council.
The former governor who posited that the allegation
was mere propaganda from the ruling party in the state, explained that youths
from Brass, regarded as an APC stronghold, only resisted an attempt by the
senior police officer from moving the collation centre unilaterally without
consultation to Yenagoa.
Briefing the media in Yenagoa, the state capital, Sylva
noted that immediately Okunola stepped down his decision to move the centre
because the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was losing, normalcy returned to the
centre.
Reports of the alleged kidnap of the officer with
viral last Sunday night, with allegations that he was forcibly taken away
because he refused to do the bidding of the APC to rig the election.
However, according to Sylva, "The election was
peaceful until a DCP, under the instruction of the Commissioner of Police,
attempted to relocate the collation centre without consultation or approval
from anybody, including INEC.
"That was because they saw that the APC was
winning and they wanted to bring the materials to Yenagoa. The young men in the
defence of their rights to determine their future, decided to do a citizen
arrest of the DCP.
"They prevented him from moving the materials
to Yenagoa and once that act was discontinued, they went ahead with the
collation in Brass and left him."
Sylva added that the process thereafter continued
peacefully, despite two attempts to attack the INEC office in the Brass area,
but for the gallantry of the security forces deployed in the area.
He said contrary to the allegation by the state
government, it was actually an APC loyalist that was killed in Bassambiri,
Nembe local council, insisting that all arrests so far made were all PDP members
“because they had been on the offensive.”
Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed
Adamu, has sent a delegation to Bayelsa State to probe the circumstances
surrounding the incident, a statement by Police Spokesman, Mr. Asinim Butswat,
said on Monday.
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