Yenagoa, the Capital of Bayelsa State is now a hunting ground for Policemen who abandon their constitutional duties to harass and extort innocent law abiding Citizens.
Whereas, Armed Robbers, Sea Pirates and Kidnappers already make life in the State Hobbesian, the State Police command that is supposed to protect citizens from the aforementioned deviants has constituted itself into a forth category of nuisance.
There is scarcely a night that passes without residents of the State Capital hearing reports of police raiding innocent citizens who commits no crime only to extort huge bail money from them.
Just last night, one of the most popular Agudama Youths and former President of the Agudama Youths, Mr Vure Kingsley Ovonix who is currently employed by one of the Multinationals as Community Relations Officer was their latest Victim.
Mr Vure shared his ordeal using his Facebook Account. Hear him
“Just Wants To Know If State Government Have Declared A State Of Emergency Or Curfew In Bayelsa State, The State Anti Robbery Squad aka SARS Picked Me Up Around 9:45 PM Yesterday After Attending A Birthday Bash Of My Mentor As I Was About Going Into My Abode, My Pain Is They Forcefully Ceased My Phone Which Made Me Incapacitated To Contact Anyone To My Rescue, Can You Imagine Even With My ID Card They Paid Deaf Ears To My Plea Of Just Returning From A Birthday Party, They Threw Me Into Their Rickety Van And Zoomed Off To Their Headquarters Along Road Safety Road, We Got There And I Was Charged For Loitering And Wondering , I Was Asked To Bail Myself With Whooping #15,000 For Committing No Crime, When Would The Police Live Up To Their Responsibility To Protect Lives And Properties, I Was So Vexed When I Was Thrown Into The Cell Of Criminals, I Was Detained For 17 hours And Has Just Been Released After Collecting #10,000 With Serious Begging , Came Out And Saw Over 107 Missed Calls On My Tatafo (Phone) My Apologies To Those That Called Me Without Any Response,I’m Forced To Ask If Moving By 9Pm Is A Crime In Bayelsa State.
#ThunderFireThem.”
Many Citizens Sayelba Times spoke to on this matter decried the spate of Police harassment in the state and called on the State Government and the House of Assembly to save the already impoverished citizens from this level of needless harassment and exploitation by calling to State Police Command to order.
There is high level of youth unemployment and poverty in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital and the entire State. Yet, in this Civil Service State, one of the most thriving businesses is the Hospitality industry made up of Bars, Restaurants, Lunges, Clubs and Hotels. The current activities of the State Police Command will have many negative consequences on this businesses and thereby create more unemployment and more crimes.
Sayelba Times 