Police arrest five for planned attack on Jonathan’s house

Five persons have been arrested in Bayelsa State for an alleged plan to attack the house of former President Goodluck Jonathan in Yenagoa.

The suspects were said to have been apprehended in a hotel in Swali area of Yenagoa as they were perfecting strategies to unleash an attack on the former President’s house.

The names of the suspects, who are all males, were given as, Asupha Emeka, 34; Ebipre Ebebi, 25; Samuel Joe, 27; Okilo Matthew, 25; and Timiere Matthew, 25.

It could not be ascertained the motive behind the plot to attack Jonathan, however, it was learnt that the incident was part of the measures to create tension in the state ahead of the Saturday supplementary poll.

It was also learnt that the suspects were thugs loyal to a candidate of one of the frontline political parties in the state.

Confirming the arrest of the suspects, Police Public Relations Officer, Bayelsa State Command, Asinim Butswat, said their apprehension was based on a tip-off.

The spokesperson 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.”

Though he did not indicate the name of the personality they were planning to attack, Butswat said the suspects were drawing a plan to launch an attack on a yet-to-be identified location.

He added that the suspects were currently undergoing interrogation and that investigation was ongoing.

However, a security source, who craved anonymity, said the planned attack on Jonathan’s residence was designed in such a way as to give the impression that the opposition was after the life of Jonathan.

He 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 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.”