Governor Diri Gives Police Officer House, Car For Rejecting $17,000 Bribe

Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has rewarded a police officer, Superintendent of Police, Sentome Obi, with a three-bedroom flat and a car for rejecting a $17,000 bribe offered by a suspect involved in organ harvesting.

The governor also disclosed that the abductors of a judge of the Bayelsa State High Court, Justice Ebiyerin Omukoro, have been arrested by police operatives.

Governor Douye Diri hinted of the arrest of the suspects yesterday during the State Executive Council (SEC) meeting in Government House, Yenagoa.

The governor, in a statement by his chief press secretary (CPS), Daniel Alabrah, said everyone involved in the kidnapping had been picked up by the police except the gang leader, who is on the run.

While honouring SP Obi, the governor praised his gallantry, honesty and devotion to duty.

He said the officer, who is an indigene of the state, brought dignity and pride to the Force and to Bayelsa.

He recommended Obi to the inspector-general of police (IGP) for promotion in recognition of his gallant effort in crime fighting.

On behalf of the state government, Governor Diri announced a reward of a three-bedroom flat and a car as a mark of honour for his exemplary integrity.

He said that at a time when the Nigeria police was grappling with image issues, Bayelsa had produced a police officer with commendable character and proved that a good name was better than riches.

He said, “SP Obi not only made the state proud, he also bolstered the image of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), and I urge other officers to emulate his shining example.”

In his remarks, the state commissioner of police, Mr. Francis Idu, congratulated the government and people of the state for producing one of the most dedicated and well-groomed officers in Obi.

The police chief stressed the need for the government to invest more in boosting security and protecting lives and property.

The judge (Omukoro) was kidnapped on June 21 in Yenagoa, the state capital and was held for 12 days before he was rescued through the joint effort of security agencies.

He restated his warning to criminals to avoid Bayelsa and stressed his administration’s commitment to its zero-tolerance policy for crime and criminality.

Diri said the government had improved the security architecture in the state by acquiring drones for the police to fight crime and installing CCTV cameras in different parts of the state capital.

The governor said, “We have greatly improved our crime-fighting efforts using technology. In the recent kidnapping of a serving judge in the state, we were able to get him released unhurt.

“We summoned the security agencies and gave them the necessary logistics. In the end, all those who committed the crime were apprehended except one, who was still on the run. Bayelsa State has zero tolerance for crime and criminality.”

Diri commended the security agencies for their effort in ensuring the state was safe and peaceful.