By Fatima Zahra Muhammad
ASHENEWS reports that operatives of the Police Strike Force have arrested eight suspected hoodlums terrorizing Nembe Bassambiri community in Bayelsa state.
ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Force Public Relations Officer disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday.
The arrests, the statement said followed receipt of a petition from a law firm on the activities of some hoodlums armed with guns and other dangerous weapons who were in the habit of constantly and repeatedly terrorizing members of the community.
“Coupled with other similar complaints and intelligence in that region, operatives of the Police Strike Force were deployed to the area for a combing operation to rid the community of the activities of armed hoodlums.
“Consequently, the operatives swung into action and raided the camps of the hoodlums in and around the Nembe Bassambiri Community on the eve of Saturday 12th August 2023.
“The operation led to the arrest of Eight (8) suspects including Gift Vanman, Daniel Solomon, Ishmael Teknikio aka Moore, Rufus Itario, Joel Jubilee, Sylvanus Alatari, Sounpre Solomon, and Ayebanate Talbot (POS).”
Adejobi added that the team recovered exhibits including three AK-47 Rifles, two pump action guns, one LAR rifle, one jack-knife, one dagger, magazines, 104 rounds of live ammunition of various calibers, two POS machines, 10 ATM Cards, and one rechargeable bulb.
Adejobi maintained that the police operatives who participated in the operations were ‘professional, neutral, and proactive in the mission to liberate members of the community from the terror instilled by the nefarious activities of the armed hoodlums.’
“This is contrary to the distorted narrative in the news making the rounds that the community was attacked by hoodlums dressed in police uniforms. The distorted news is the handiwork of mischief makers and they are hereby warned against such calculated attempts to destabilize the country.”
He noted that the Nigeria Police Force remains commitment addressing security issues affecting people in all parts of the country.
“Similarly, the Police assures the confidentiality of reliable informants while urging members of the public to partner with the Police and other security agencies with prompt and actionable intelligence on the activities of members of the underworld, and criminally-minded individuals, who foment troubles, commit crimes, and cause instability.
“The IGP reiterates that the operation in Nembe is a signal to other hoodlums with similar intents of causing fear amongst the people with their activities across the country to turn a new leaf or be assured that the long and unbiased arm of the law will catch up with them in no distant time,* the statement said.
He added that the suspects will be charged in court upon the conclusion of the investigations.
