Buguma Security Operation Not Politically Motivated – Prince Dateme

Some Adhoc staff of INEC for Bayelsa State governorship supplementary election proceeding on election duty with non-sensitive materials from the INEC headquarters in Yenagoa on Friday.

The media spokesman to
Hon Ojukaye Flag-Amachree, former chairman of Asari Toru Local Government Area,  Prince Dateme says his principal is free of complicity in the alleged security operation in Buguma in which a number of young men were whisked away last week.
Prince Dateme who spoke to our reporter in Port Harcourt said there was nothing linking Hon. Flag Amachree to the operation, adding that “what transpired that night was a security check” that was devoid of political discrimination.
“As we all know, there has  been security challenges around the Emohua/Buguma Road for some time now and those who go and commit those crimes don’t live along the road, they came from Buguma and surrounding communities”, he said, adding that “this has been a concern to everyone in the community, including the politicians, youths and the chiefs”.
Against this background, he said, a lot of petitions had gone out to the security agencies from all quarters including the chiefs and that what happened may have been a direct response to those petitions.
“It was like a prayer that was answered that every morning when SARs and a combined team of security agents combed the community and went from house to house. Everybody that had any suspicion was checked properly”, he explained.
He said it was wrong for anyone to insinuate that the operation was targeted at the members of a particular political party as some of those arrested are known to belong to not just one political party.
Prince Dateme decried the presence of illegal arms and ammunition in the hands of unauthorised persons in the area and expressed the fear that if not checked, the situation may pose a grave danger for the forthcoming re-run National and State Assembly elections.
“I think Asari Toru Local Government Area is happy that the security agencies came and carried out that operation and they’re even calling on them to come for more checks before the elections”, he said.
He stressed that the security of lives and property of the people should be of paramount interest to all and advised politicians not to mix security issues with politics, adding that operation in Buguma should be commended instead of being condemned.

Opaka Dokubo