3 APC members killed at campaign rally in Bayelsa

The leadership and faithful of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa yesterday protested the killing of its members during a campaign rally  in Tungbaburi community in Sagbama Local Government Area of the state Saturday.

The leader of the party in the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri led the protest to the Police Command in Yenagoa.

Speaking during the protest march to the police headquarters, Chief Timipre Sylva, a former governor of the state, said that the killing of an APC member at a rally in Sagbama was one too many.

He said: “We have been watching the scenario where members of our party are being attacked while we are canvassing for votes, two of them were killed recently in Nembe and we reported the incidents, but the police are not doing enough.

 “We are here to send a strong message to the Police High Command and Inspector-General of Police that the persecution and killing of our members in Bayelsa is not acceptable.

“On Saturday, one of our members who was attacked during a rally in Sagbama died, and we are here today to register our displeasure and demand that just as the Police is providing security for those in PDP, they should protect us also.

“We demand that the police be fair in their duties to avoid a situation where those denied security would be compelled to seek self help,” Sylva said.

The state Police Commissioner, Mr Aminu Saleh, in his response, dismissed the allegations that his command was biased.

“We shall look into the cases even the ones reported before my arrival, the problem we have is that while a case is being investigated it is not strategic to keep in public domain, but it does not mean that we are not working,” he said.