It’s a cult clash, not political—POLICE

Samuel Oyadongha

YENAGOA—THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, stakeholders in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State has decried alleged attack on its members, party secretariat and security personnel in the area by armed youths suspected to be members of the All Progressive Congress, APC.

The stakeholders led by Senator Ben Murray Bruce, representing Bayelsa East Senatorial District, the Deputy Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Mr  Abraham Ngobere and the Caretaker chairman of Brass council, Mr Victor Isaiah, alleged that the attack was masterminded by the leaders of the APC from the area.

But the Bayelsa State Police Command, through its Public Relations Officer, AsInim Butswat, dismissed the claim, saying that the report at the command’s disposal showed that it was a cult clash and that no one was attacked.

 

At a media briefing yesterday in Yenagoa, the Chairman of Brass council, Isaiah, said the suspected political thugs attacked the PDP secretariat, destroying the party flag and setting it ablaze.

He said: “When the incident happened, the Divisional Police Officer of Brass council called me and informed me that some gunmen suspected to be APC members, opened fire on the security personnel and set ablaze the PDP flag at the secretariat.

“We are calling on the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the DSS to investigate the incident.”

Also speaking,  Senator Ben Murray Bruce, called on the appropriate authorities to invest more on security personnel in order to enhance optimal performance.

According to him,  the police station at Twon Brass was in a sorry state, saying “The structure is not befitting. There is need for the police authorities to invest more on its personnel. Mr. IG,  there is need for more investment in personnel because of the sensitive nature of their constitutional responsibility.”

Reacting to the incident, the Spokesman of the Bayelsa State Police Command, Asinim Butswat said, “it is a cult clash.

And none of our men were injured in any attack.”

On whether the attack was politically motivated, he simply replied “I don’t know about that,” adding that normalcy had been restored in the area with the people going about their legitimate businesses.`