Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Mr Olusholla David, the new Commissioner of Police to supervise the House of Assembly election has assumed duty in Bayelsa State.
It is believed that David’s redeployment, replacing Mr Aminu Saleh might be linked with allegations that the police did not provide a level playground for all parties during the presidential and National Assembly election.
David who immediately met top officers of the command on arrival read the riot to them warning that he would not tolerate any display of partisanship by police officers during the election.
He reiterated the directive of IGP Mohammed A. Adamu to officers and men to discharge their elections professionally adding that Bayelsans had nothing to fear as the police had made adequate provision for security.
David who disclosed that he had met with sister-security agencies and security beefed up, warned political thugs and their sponsors to have a rethink as the police would deal with trouble makers.
Governor Henry Seriake Dickson has however appealed to David not to allow other security agencies usurp police function of maintenance of law and order as it is enshrined in the constitution.
Dickson who spoke when he received David at the Government House, Yenagoa, said constitutionally it is the place of the police to play a major role in all civil matters in the country, including providing security during elections, adding that other security agencies only complement the efforts of the police where necessary.
The governor, who assured the new CP of the state government’s support and urged the police to be thoroughly professional in discharging their duties to prevent a reoccurrence of the irregularities that marred the February 23 presidential and National Assembly polls in parts of the state.
Meanwhile, soldiers acting on a tip-off have recovered arms and ammunition from a chieftain (name withheld) of one of the political parties in Ekeremor local government.
Although the suspect and some of his boys escape and are on the run, the soldiers broke into the house and recover arms and ammunition which they were allegedly planning to use to disrupt elections in Angalabiri community on Saturday.