Protest rocks Bayelsa capital over death of suspect in police custody

Protests erupted at the Biogbolo area of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, on Saturday, over the death of a 27 year-old-man, Goodluck Oviekeme, who was arrested alongside eight others following an alleged attack on a policeman and theft of his service rifle.

It was gathered that the Police, in a statement, alleged that the deceased was arrested on Tuesday in connection with an alleged armed robbery incident that occurred at Biogbolo area when hoodlums attacked the Police Patrol team, fatally injured Inspector Ugbotor Sunday and carted away his rifle.

Another senior Police source told newsmen that the deceased was arrested alongside Benjamin Karibo, the Youth President of the troubled Biogbolo Community, over their alleged involvement in the attack on the Policeman. And they are all in Police custody.

But Ebitonye Micheal, the brother of the deceased, denied the police allegations, claiming that his brother is innocent of the crime.

Micheal alleged that Oviekeme was killed in the police cell and his body was later dumped at the Federal Medical Center (FMC), Yenagoa.

The protesters, who are made up of Epie-attisa indigenes resident in Biogbolo, staged a protest against the sudden death of Ovikeme, accusing Police of shoddy Investigation and deliberate killing of their kinsman.

Meanwhile, confirming the incident in a statement on Saturday, signed by Asinim Butswat, police spokesman, he disclosed that Echeng E. Echeng, the State Commissioner of Police, had ordered for discreet investigation and autopsy to determine the cause of Oviekeme’s death.

The statement read in part, “The deceased suspect was arrested in connection with the armed robbery incident that occurred on 21 September 2021, at Biogbolo, Yenagoa, when hoodlums attacked the Police Patrol team, fatally injured Inspector Ugbotor Sunday and carted away his rifle”.

“Preliminary Investigation reveals that Goodluck Oviekeme was the mastermind of the attack on the patrol team. He was arrested on 22 September, 2021, at about 0300 hours, while in Police custody, the suspect was observed to be running a high temperature and was rushed to the hospital, where he eventually died.”

The CP also condoled with the family of the deceased and promised the general public that investigation had commenced and the outcome would be made public.