By JIMITOTA      ONOYUME

PORT HARCOURT— SPECULATIONS were rife in some quarters, yesterday, that the Police in Rivers State may have released the six suspects, handed over to them after their arrest by the Joint Task Force at Ogu Bolo Local Government Area of the state, weekend, for illegal possession of fire arms.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Ahmad Muhammad, said he was neither aware of the handover of the suspects to the Police nor their release.
It will be recalled that he had said on Saturday, when contacted to confirm the handover of the suspects, that he was not aware of such persons in Police custody.  It took the JTF to confirm that the suspects were handed over to the Police.

Meanwhile, the member representing Ogu Bolo constituency in the state House of Assembly, Mr Evans Bipi, has said the six suspects arrested were not his political loyalists, adding that those linking him with them were only trying to divert attention from the Leader of the state House of Assembly, Mr Chidi Lloyd, who was arrested recently by the Police.