By Austin Ogwuda
…he was not among the worshippers returning from vigil
At last, the Delta State police command has admitted arresting other operatives from sister Agencies.
Recall that The Townhall ran a credited story to SaharaReporters, listing the Agencies involved to include DSS, FRSC and Fire Service.
Clearing the air on the issue, Delta State Police Command’s Spokesman, Bright Edafe, a Superintendent of Police (SP) in a press release stated:
“…The individual repeatedly referenced by Sahara Reporters was not arrested as a church worshipper, nor was he rearrested for any alleged media interaction.
“The suspect in question was arrested alongside two (2) other persons in a Mercedes Benz GLK vehicle, parked in a close street opposite Pinnacle Hotel, Asaba, where they were allegedly purchasing illicit drugs from a suspected drug dealer. The trio were arrested together with the dealer, and incriminating exhibits were recovered at the scene.
“However, considering that one of the suspects is a member of a sister security agency he was granted bail and released to his institution pending the commencement of arraignment, it being reasonably certain that his attendance in court could be secured through his agency.
”It is pertinent to emphasize that the grant of bail does not terminate investigation, nor does it imply innocence on the part of any suspect.
“Investigation and prosecution remains ongoing, which necessitated the invitation of the suspect to enable the proper commencement of investigation and possible prosecution”, Edafe added.
Continuing, the release said, “For clarity and the avoidance of doubt, several suspects were arrested at different locations within Asaba for various offences bordering on violent disturbances, public nuisance, drug-related activities, and conduct likely to cause a breach of public peace during the New Year’s Eve operations.
“Upon conclusion of preliminary investigations, thirty-three (33) suspects were found to have prima facie cases against them and were duly charged to court and arraigned before Magistrate Court 1, Asaba. Following arraignment, 3 of the suspects were remanded in custody, while others were granted bail by the court, pending the continuation of prosecution in line with due process”.
Although Edafe didn’t mention which sister Agency he is particularly referring to, in his press release but recall that The Townhall in our earlier report quoted SaharaReporters concerning the rearrest of a security personnel from a sister Agency.
According to the report “One of the released suspects and staff of the Delta State Fire Service (names withheld by The Townhall) was tricked on Monday to come and collect his impounded vehicle at the command where he was accused of exposing the bail extortion to the media.
“As he got to the command Monday, he was rearrested and detained that he was the one who allegedly exposed the N150,000 and N200,000 extorted from the suspects to grant them bail. Even when he defended himself, that he knows nothing about such publication, the police rearrested him and detained him in cell. As we talk, he’s still at the detention at the police headquarters. We heard his invitation to the command where he was rearrested and detained”.
The PPRO was equally mute on the allegation of extortion as well as a DSS operative who was allegedly slapped and detained briefly after a serious altercation when he (DSS operative) went to the Command’s headquarters to secure the release of his tenant arrested during the mass arrest in the early hours of the new year.
