The Bayelsa State Police command has confirmed the arrest of Four officers of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and one civilian over theft of N3.5m from the office of the Deputy Chief of Staff to Bayelsa state governor, Mrs Ebizi Ndiomu-Brown inside Bayelsa Government House yesterday.
The Police said that the incident occurred on the December 4, 2019, at about 0850 hours, when the Command received a report of Burglary and Stealing in the office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Government House, Yenagoa. ‘
According to the statement by the Police Spokesman in the state, SP Asinim Butswat, ‘It was reported that the main entrance door to the office of the Deputy Chief of Staff was broken and the Safe inside the office were destroyed.’
“The crime scene was visited by Policemen and it was further revealed that the sum of Three Million Five Hundred Thousand Naira was stolen.
“Three Policemen, four personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and one maintenance staff on guard duty at the Governor’s office were arrested and are being interrogated at the State Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department, Yenagoa.” He said.
It was gathered that the alleged theft, which occurred on Wednesday night was discovered on Thursday morning with the safe where the cash was kept reportedly vandalised.
Sources close to the office of the Deputy Chief of staff, confirmed that the office where the money was kept ,which had two entrances, was buggled.
It was gathered that the two entrances was guarded by policemen and many wondered how the buglers had access to the cash.
It was gathered that the order for the arrest of the policemen on duty at the time of the theft, was by the State Commissioner of Police, Uche Anozia.
Already, detectives from the department of the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the State Police Command is investigating the incident.
A Government House source told Daily Trust that the theft of such huge amount was shocking to the Deputy Chief of Staff and other officials of the state Government.
Attempts to get confirmation from the officials of the State Government proved abortive as they kept mum over the incident. An official that spoke on the incident under anonymity, told Journalists that ‘only the security have been arrested because they were on duty at the time of the theft.
The Deputy Chief of Staff to the Bayelsa State Government House, Ebizi Ndiomu-Brown when contacted on phone declined to respond to text message
