Bayelsa police foil plot to attack ex-President’s house

The Bayelsa State police command revealed to newsmen that it foiled an alleged attempt by five suspects to attack the country home of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Punch Newspapers reports that the Police Public Relations Officer, Bayelsa State Command, Asinim Butswat confirmed the arrest of the suspects.

They are: Asupha Emeka, 34; Ebipre Ebebi, 25; Samuel Joe, 27; Okilo Matthew, 25; and Timiere Matthew, 25.

Also, Butswat said “On the January 6, 2016, at about 1500hrs, based on a tip-off, detectives from the Anti-Kidnapping and Anti-Vice unit stormed a hotel premises in Swali community, Yenagoa, and arrested five suspects.

“The suspects are Asupha Emeka, Ebipre Ebebi, Samuel Joe, Okilo Matthew and Timiere Matthew.”

Another security source who spoke to Punch said "The planned attack on Jonathan’s house was to give an impression of violence ahead of the supplementary election in the state. What the mastermind intends to achieve through that is what I cannot fathom.”

“You know this is the time of politics when politicians design all manner of tricks, crisis and strategies to heat up the polity. This is one of those aspects of dangerous politics they are playing,” the source said.

Read: How ex-president punished me for censoring PDP hate speeches – Ex-NTA boss

The source also said “The ringleader of this dastardly act, we learnt is a member of Jonathan’s party. The whole plot was contrived to give the impression that the opposition is the one responsible.”

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, who recently thanked Nigerians for a transparent and credible 2015 elections, was named the International Person of the Year 2015 by the African Sun Times.