Posted by Bukola Ojeme on
Embattled former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, has refused to eat the food provided by police authorities, alleging a plot to poison him.
Embattled former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, has refused to eat the food provided by police authorities, alleging a plot to poison him.
The State House of Assembly impeached Alamieyeseigha on Friday over allegations of gross misconduct, weeks after he jumped bail in London where he was being tried for money laundering offences.
After his impeachment, he was immediately arrested and flown to the Force Headquarters, Abuja, where he is being detained.
Sources close to the Force Headquarters confided in Sunday Punch that, since his detention on Friday, he has rebuffed efforts by police authorities to feed him, insisting on eating only home cooked meals provided by trusted relatives.
According to the source, who agreed to speak on condition of anonymity, ' Since he was brought here, he has refused to eat the food provided by the police. We are under strict instructions not to allow anybody access to him or bring food for him".
'Even though we have tried to explain the danger of taking food from outside to him, he has refused to trust us. You know, we are very careful not to allow anything-go wrong while he is with us. We don't want to take any risk. God forbid, should anything happen to him, while in detention, it is the same Nigerian media that will accuse us of conspiring to take his life," he added.
Sunday Punch gathered that a lady, who claimed to be a relative of the embattled former governor's wife, was turned back from the gate of the Force Headquarters at about 12: 30 pm, when she came with food for him.
'One woman came here this afternoon with food for him (Alamieyeseigha) but we turned her back, because we did not receive any instruction to allow anybody in to see him," the source added.
When Sunday Punch visited the sixth floor detention area, where the governor is being held, the door was securely locked with three heavily armed mobile policemen standing guard outside the door.
Further enquiries by our correspondent as at 3:30 pm confirmed that, the former governor had indeed been surviving on bottled water since he was brought in on Friday.
It was also learnt that, neither operatives from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) nor police detectives have visited him since his incarceration.
When Sunday Punch sought the views of the Force Public Relations Officer, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Haz Iwendi, he declined comments.
SUNDAY PUNCH, December 11, 2005