The leadership and loyalists of All Progressives Congress
(APC) in Bayelsa on Monday staged a protest against killing of its members in
its rallies ahead the 2019 polls.
Leader of APC in Bayelsa Chief Timipre Sylva, Minister of
State for Agric, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri led the protest to Police
Headquarters in Bayelsa.
Addressing thousands of party followers who had marched
from the party secretariat to the Police headquarters chanting solidarity songs,
Sylva said that the killing of an APC member at a rally in Sagbama was one two
many.
He recalled that the party campaigns have been riddled
with several attacks by members of rival political party while their perpetrators
have not been brought to book.
“We have been watching the scenario where members of our
party are being attacked while we are canvassing for votes, two of them were
killed recently in Nembe and we reported the incidents but the Police is not
doing enough.
“We are here to send a strong message to the Police high
Command and Inspector-General of Police that the persecution and killing of our
members in Bayelsa is not acceptable.
“On Saturday, one of our members who was attacked during
a rally in Sagbama died, and we are here today to register our displeasure and
demand that just as the Police is providing security for those in PDP, they
should protect us also.
“We demand that the Police should be fair in their duties
to avoid a situation where those denied security would be compelled to seek
self help,” Sylva said.
Also speaking, Lokpobiri urged the Police to be thorough
in its investigations of the cases reported by the party as faithful of the
party were awaiting justice.
He said that APC in Bayelsa was conducting its campaign
across the party in a peaceful manner but have come under attack by rivals
resulting to death of many.
He said that as a law abiding organization, the party
leaders have been urging members to exercise restraints and report issues of
violence to law enforcement agencies.
Responding, Commissioner of Police in Bayelsa Mr Aminu
Saleh dismissed the allegations that the Police in the State was biased.
“The Nigerian Police is a Federal Institution and the
Command under my watch in Bayelsa is poised to be fair to all in the discharge
of our duty, I am aware of the allegations and counter allegations even before
my deployment.
“We shall look into the cases even the ones reported
before my arrival, the problem we have is that while a case is being
investigated it is not strategic to keep in public domain, but it does not mean
that we are not working.
“On the killing of Saturday, we are already working on it
and arrests have been made and I hereby assure you that once we conclude our
investigations, we shall brief the general public about it.
“It is our duty to provide security cover to all
political parties and the presence of our men deployed to Sagbama prevented the
breakdown of law and order,” Saleh said.
One person, according to a
Police Spokesman, DSP Asinim Butswat died while two others were injured while
thugs attacked faithful of All Progressives Congress (APC) at a rally in
Sagbama area of Bayelsa on Saturday.
Butswat
had said in a statement on Sunday that “One suspect,Mr Isaac Abrowei, 42, from Bolou-Orua, but
resident at Tungbabiri has been arrested.
“The thugs who master
mind the act and their alledge sponsor have been identified and the
Police has launched a manhunt to arrest them,”
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