Panic in Bayelsa over false bomb scare

Bayelsa State civil servants were gripped with fear in the early hours of Wednesday following a bomb scare that prompted an evacuation from the State Secretariat.

It was gathered that an unidentified person claimed to have planted explosives within the premises of the State Secretariat on the Chief Melford Okilo Road, which led to the evacuation of both civil servants and visitors.

Eyewitnesses said security forces responded swiftly and ordered the immediate evacuation of the complex to safeguard lives.

A thorough sweep of the premises by men of the Police Anti-Bomb Squad, however, confirmed that there were no explosives in the premises and that it was only a false alarm.

A police source disclosed that the anti-bomb squad discovered firecrackers commonly known as bangers, which were incapable of causing any structural damage.

The police source states that the suspect who raised the false alarm was arrested at the scene and is currently in police custody.

Head of Civil Service, Sawyer, however, directed workers to suspend work for the day as a precautionary measure in order to ensure the safety of all staff and visitors.

As of the time of filing this report, the police had yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Musa Mohamme,d confirmed the development, affirming that calm has been restored.

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