Follow Us on Google
Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Three policemen from the Bayelsa State Police Command and four operatives of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps have been arrested over alleged theft of N40 million from a safe in Bayelsa Government House.
Also in police net is a Government House staff attached to the Maintenance Unit who had to do some routine maintenance work in the office on the fateful day.
The suspects who are already being grilled by operatives of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) of the Bayelsa State Command were attached to the office of the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Bayelsa State Government House, Mrs. Ebizi Ndiomu-Brown.
According to investigation, the alleged theft of the money which occurred on Wednesday night was discovered on Thursday morning as workers met the safe vandalised.
Sources in the Government House said those who stole the money had access to the safe, otherwise, it was still baffling because the two entrances to the office of the Deputy Chief of Staff where the money was kept was being guarded by policemen.
A reliable source at the Police Command said the State Commissioner of Police, Mr Uche Anozia, who was infuriated over the development, ordered for the immediate arrest of all the suspected policemen.
Government House officials were said to have been shocked by the audacity with which the theft was carried out.
The Bayelsa Command in a statement by its Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Asinim Butswat, confirmed the arrest of the suspects, adding, however, that the money missing was N3.5 million.
“On 5th December, 2019, at about 08:50 hours, the Command received a report of burglary and stealing in the office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Government House, Yenagoa. It was reported that the main entrance door to the office of the Deputy Chief of Staff was broken and the safe inside the office were destroyed. The crime scene was visited by policemen and it was further revealed that the sum of Three Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira was stolen. Three policemen, four personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and one maintenance staff on guard duty at the Governor’s office were arrested and are being interrogated at the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department, Yenagoa. Investigation is ongoing.”
