By Samuel Oyadongha
Yenagoa — Governor Timipre Sylva of Bayelsa State, yesterday, condemned the arrest and unlawful detention of 70 of his supporters in Lokoja, Kogi State.

The governor’s supporters were intercepted about 5.00pm on Sunday on their way to Abuja to show solidarity with the governor at the hearing of the case on tenure for five Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governors at the Supreme Court, scheduled for yesterday.

Governor Sylva, in a statement issued yesterday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Doifie Ola, said: “Our constitution allows for freedom of movement as well as freedom of association for every Nigerian.

“This is another in the series of recent happenings by agents of the Federal Government to trample democracy in the face and truncate the rights of Bayelsa people to freely decide their political future.”

He described the arrest as a sad reminder of Nigeria’s dark days of military rule. The governor, however, pleaded with all his supporters to remain calm and law abiding in the face of undue provocation.

“The will of God through the people of Bayelsa State shall surely prevail in the evolving political imbroglio in the state,” he added.

Comprising mainly PDP Ward chairmen, the supporters were travelling in six buses and a car. They were arrested and taken to Police ‘A’ Division headquarters in Lokoja where they were detained and escorted to Okene to embark on a return journey to Bayelsa State, yesterday morning.

Intelligence report

A security source said they had intelligence report that the governor’s supporters were heading to Abuja to protest against the just-concluded Bayelsa State PDP primaries.

However, one of those detained, who identified himself as Ebiowei, dismissed the claim.

He said: “Our explanation that we were travelling to Abuja to show solidarity with our governor at the hearing of the case on tenure for five PDP governors fell on deaf ears. They took us to Police A Division at Lokoja.

“We were detained till the next day and escorted back by armed policemen to Kogi State border with Edo.”