The Bayelsa State Police command says its attention has been drawn to spurious claims that its security operatives shot two individuals protesting at the Niger Delta University, Amassoma.
“This information is unfounded and it is a misrepresentation of true fact” it said.
Following the ongoing reforms by the Bayelsa State Government, in Ministries, Agencies and Parastatals in the State.
Some workers of the Niger Delta University (NDU) Amassoma protested and shot down the gate of the university for over one month.
This fragmented the Staff of the university into pro and anti reforms.
Evidently, some non workers of the Niger Delta University had infiltrated the riotous crowd.
The vice chancellor of the Niger Delta University and some critical stakeholders reached an agreement to reopen the school.
Therefore the school authority informed the Bayelsa State Police Command through a letter, to provide security in the university to prevent hoodlums from stealing the property of the university.
Consequently, on 21stMay 2018, the command deployed security personnel to the university.
On arrival at the gate, the detachment of Policemen met a hostile crowd, who fired shots at them.
The Police had to use reasonable force to contain the hostile protesters.
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In the ensuing melee, two Police Officers were injured; five Police vehicles vandalized and the protesters attacked the Amassoma Police Division.
Meanwhile, eighteen (18) suspects have been arrested for riotous behavior, attacked on Police Station and Police Officers.
The suspects will soon be charge to court.
The Command has also rescued Eighty (80) Youth Corpers who are vulnerable to attack, from Amassoma Community and were handed over to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Officials in Yenagoa.
The command wishes to re-echo an earlier warning concerning unauthorized and unlawful gathering of persons or group of persons, without a duly approved police permit.
The command recognizes the constitutional rights of law abiding citizens for procession, picketing or other forms of protest, but these rights must be exercised within the confines of the law.
The command will process and provide security cover for any legitimate procession or public protest which is part of democratic policing.
The command has deployed additional security personnel to contain the protesters and restore normalcy in Amassoma community.
The command wishes to solicit for cooperation of good and well-meaning people of Amassoma community, to be law abiding and to report any suspicious movement of persons to the nearest Police Station.
DSP Asinim Butswat, PPRO,
Bayelsa State Command.
