Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The three-day dusk-to-dawn curfew imposed on Bayelsa State as a fallout of the violent protest that greeted the Supreme Court ruling which sacked the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chief David Lyon and Senator Degi Biobarakuma Eremieyo has been further extended by the Bayelsa State police command.
The curfew imposed on Friday, February 14, was initially slated to end on Sunday but has been extended due to the prevailing security situation in the state.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Uche Anozia, while briefing newsmen at the command’s headquarters in Yenagoa on Monday disclosed that the credible intelligence available to the command indicated that the prevailing security situation in the state demanded the extension.
According to him, the curfew which would be relaxed on Sunday, February 23, 2020, would now be from 10pm to 6am daily.
“In the light of the credible intelligence available to the command vis-a-vis the prevailing security situation in Bayelsa State, the command has deemed it necessary to review and extend the curfew to Sunday 23rd February, 2020 with effect from Monday 17th February, 2020, from 10pm to 6am.
“Members of the public are advised to remain indoors as security agencies will be out to arrest anyone who violates the curfew and such outlaws will be prosecuted. Members of the public are advised to remain calm as the command is poised to ensure the safety of lives and property in the state,” he said.
Meanwhile, the eight suspects arrested in the wake of the violent protest that rocked Yenagoa are undergoing interrogation and would soon be charged to court.
A reliable police source who said the suspects were arrested in different parts of the state have offered useful information to the police.
He also said some of the suspects were those who invaded the house of former Governor Seriake Dickson to loot property.
The sources said after completion of investigation the suspects would all be charged in line with relevant laws of the land.
Dickson had recently in an interview acknowledged the arrest of those who attacked his house, noting, however, that the police should arrest more suspects.