Three policemen, four agents of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and one other person on
guard duty were yesterday apprehended by the Bayelsa State Command of the Nigeria Police after money kept in a
safe was allegedly stolen from the office of the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Bayelsa State government, Mrs. Ebizi
Ndiomu-Brown.
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A source who is in contact with the government house, who spoke to The Nation said the money which was kept in
the office of the Deputy Chief of Staff located on the last floor with an exclusive staircase and heavy security devices,
was stolen on Wednesday December 4.
“The money stolen was N40million and not N800million. It happened at night. The office was burgled by
unknown person but investigation has commenced. Seven policemen and operatives of the NSCDC were
arrested and taken to the CID” the source said.
The security operatives who were arrested by the State Commissioner of Police Mr. Uche Anozia, were on duty when
the safe the money was kept in was ransacked.
However an insider in the Governor’s office stated that only N3.5m was stolen.
“It is true that the office was burgled. But it is not true that N800m or N40m was stolen. About N3.5m
was stolen. We are only worried that an exclusive part of Government House, the governor’s office could
be burgled despite heavy security details.
The police are investigating the matter and we can only wait for their findings,” he said
Bayelsa state’s police spokesperson, Butswat Asinim also verified claims of N3.5m stolen from the safe.
Asinim said: “On 5th December, 2019, at about 0850 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 N3.5 million 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.”
In July this year, domestic workers and relatives of former President Goodluck Jonathan were also arrested over the
alleged theft of valuables including jewelries belonging to the former President in his Otuoke home in Ogbia Local
Government of Bayelsa.
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They were said to have duplicated the keys to the rooms where the valuables were kept and perpetrated the gradual
looting of the valuables worth several millions of naira.