Bayelsa probes surveillance contractors, says security threatened

Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has inaugurated a commission of enquiry into activities of surveillance contractors working for oil companies in the state, saying that since 2015, the operations of persons claiming to be surveillance contractors have been worrisome and constitute threat to internal security of the state.

The commission of enquiry is headed by a former Chief Judge of the state, retired Justice Margaret Akpomiemie, with five others as members.

Members of the commission include, SP Whoknows Tiger, Anthony O. Obrike, Christiana Okafor and Ebikake G. Ebikipah while Barrister Dele J. Dele is to serve as its counsel.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, in a statement yesterday in Yenagoa, said that Governor Dickson decried the activities of certain persons and corporate entities who claim to be surveillance contractors, noting that since 2015, their activities had become worrisome.

According to him, the state had been battling with internal security challenges, some of which are politically motivated, stressing that the goal of his government is to make Bayelsa safe even beyond his tenure in 2020.

He said the commission is to undertake the task of investigating reports of incidents affecting persons and properties and other unwholesome activities of surveillance contractors engaged by oil and oil servicing companies operating in the state, noting that the commission has full powers and authority to hold public hearings.

“From 2015 till now we have noticed, read, heard and seen the activities of certain persons and corporate entities who say they are surveillance contractors operating and reporting to people that government does not know.

“So we are at a level when the state wants to comprehensively examine who are these people, where are they working, who has contracted them to do what, what are their activities, how many people have they engaged, what is their identity, is it criminals gathering together and being empowered for what purpose”, the governor said.