Police debunk bomb scare rumour in Bayelsa
The Bayelsa Police Command on Saturday in Yenagoa said rumour of a bomb scare in the state capital was untrue. The rumour followed the arrest of a suspect alleged to be carrying explosives in a bag.
It was gathered that there was pandemonium earlier in the day in the city, following an incident along the YenezueEgene area of the state capital.
The incident occurred at about 2 p.m., after a man who was carrying two bags was accosted by passers-by who demanded to know what he was carrying.
It was further gathered that following the inquiry, the man abandoned the bags and fled, raising suspicion that the bags might be laden with explosives.
A witness, Mr. Tari Bokumo, said instead of surrendering the bags to security operatives, the man abandoned them and ran away.
``His action led to panic along the road, as people fled the area. But shortly after that, men of the anti-bomb squad of the police arrived the scene”, he said.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hilary Opara, dismissed the story of a bomb scare in Yenagoa.
“When I heard of the rumour, I dispatched operatives of the anti-bomb squad to the scene to carry out investigation. The operatives recovered the bags, but they contained only electric wires. There was no explosive in them; it could be that the man stole them,” he said.
Opara expressed appreciation to members of the public, who became suspicious and raised alarm when the suspect abandoned the bags and fled and urged them to be vigilant at all times. (NAN)