Posted by By Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa on
Civil servants in Bayelsa State have condemned the sealing off of the state secretariat on Friday over an alleged security alert, forcing the workers to stay at home.
Civil servants in Bayelsa State have condemned the sealing off of the state secretariat on Friday over an alleged security alert, forcing the workers to stay at home.
State chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ben Basuo, expressed shock over the development, noting that it showed lack of courtesy on the part of those who issued the directive to the security agencies.
According to him, the leadership of the workers should have been informed of the reasons for the seal-off of the secretariat.
A source in the office of the Head of Service said the workers were surprised that the government could take such an action without prior notice.
The closure of the secretariat occurred 24 hours to the campaign flag-off for the re-run governorship election in the state by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Security agencies were also put on red alert to avert a breakdown of law and order.
As part of security measures, civil servants were ordered to stay away from work over security reports that suspected militants have perfected plans to bomb the state secretariat.
According to reports, most civil servants who had reported for work at the state secretariat and other government agencies were shocked to meet the gates firmly locked with armed policemen taking over security from the regular security men.
Efforts by the workers to get information on the compulsory work-free day failed to yield fruit as the policemen insisted that they were acting on orders from above.
All the buildings housing government agencies had their gates heavily guarded by armed policemen while the Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) of the Joint Military Task (JTF) were parked at strategic locations.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Iniobong Ibokette, explained that the "take over of the secretariat was not a sign of trouble but a security measure by the police to ensure a hitch-free transition programme in Bayelsa."
Also, the JTF Commander in the state, Lt. Col Chris Musa, said the APCs at strategic locations was to forestall disruption of the flag-off campaign of the PDP or any activities connected to the re-run election.
Meanwhile, the landlord of the building housing the PDP secretariat has directed his lawyers to issue quit notice to the party over Thursday's explosion at the secretariat.
The party's secretary, Mr James Agary, who stated this in Yenagoa, said the quit notice must have been informed by the damage done to the building after series of bombings over the past two years.
But the state government explained that the heavy security presence was because of the visit of President Umaru Yar'Adua and his vice, Goodluck Jonathan.
The Chief Press Secretary to the acting governor, Mr. Preye Wariowei, in a statement urged indigenes to go about their business and not panic.