DIR Return Create A Forum - Home
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Examwizardss
  HTML https://examwizardss.createaforum.com
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       *****************************************************
   DIR Return to: Examwizards News
       *****************************************************
       #Post#: 13--------------------------------------------------
       Yenagoa residents allege intimidation
   DIR By: Ebenezer
       Date: July 25, 2013, 5:45 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Yenagoa residents, in Bayelsa, have decried what they described
       as harassment, intimidation and arbitrary arrest of innocent
       citizens by workers of the state Environmental Sanitation
       Authority.
       The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)reports that the Bayelsa
       sanitationauthority was recently charged byGov.Seriake Dickson
       to clean up Yenagoa, the capital city.
       The charge came as refuse heaps continued to litter all parts of
       the state capital, andDickson said the poor sanitary condition
       was unacceptable to his administration.
       However, some Yenagoa residentstold NAN they wanted the
       government to take urgent steps to call the officials of the
       agency to order as "they are going beyond their limits’’.
       NAN reports that more than 100 Yenagoa residents, including
       children, were on Friday arrested between 8 p.m and 10 p.m by
       officials ofthe authority’s Waste Disposal Unit.
       According to a source, those arrested were handed over to the
       police with the instruction that they should only be released
       after the payment of N5,000 each.
       "Those who could not pay the sum slept at the police station
       until their relatives or guardians or friends located them and
       still paid the sum of N5,000 before they were released,’’ the
       source said.
       NAN reports that the authority had recently announced that all
       waste materials should only be taken to the designated refuse
       dumps on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
       This was to be between the hoursof 7 p.m and 10 p.m, while such
       waste materials should be baggedwith blackpolythene bags only
       sold by the authority .
       While it appears the residents have been obeying the policy, the
       inability to get the recommended bags has however led them into
       using their own bags to package the waste materials.
       Jeff Yeigba, who claimed to be a victim of the harassment,
       said:"The manner with which these sanitation boys have been
       going about the work is verywrong.
       "They will not listen to anything, their impunity is despicable.
       It is rather unfortunate that Gov. Dickson is allowing these
       touts to embarrass people.
       "Some of them even boasted that the job has been given to them
       for their exploits in Dickson’s election and that no power in
       the state can stop them.
       "I just came out to dump myrefuse bag and I was told that
       Ishould buy their bag topackage the waste.
       "I then told them that I had no money on me as I am not aware of
       the new policy, but they should let me call my brother to bring
       money for me from the house so that I can buy.
       "I then called my brother, and while I was waiting for him, the
       boys came with a bus and ordered me to go inside their vehicle
       without allowing me to explain anything.
       "I was then arrested from the Okaka refuse dump to the police
       station where I and others were ordered to go inside the station
       and we were sent behind the counter.
       "We were asked to pay N5,000 each, before any of us could regain
       freedom.
       "My brother could not come to thestation that night, and I had
       to sleep in the station until the following morning when my
       brother came and paid the amount and I was released,’’ Yeigba
       said.
       Another victim, Godwin Yibowei who narrated his ordeal, said he
       was arrested at the Ebis bus stop at Amarata in Yenagoa by the
       officials.
       He said this was even when he had not reached the dump site to
       buy the bag.
       Yibowei urged the Bayelsa government to halt the trendas the
       officials were out to line their pockets as no receipts were
       issued for the N5,000 levy being charged per head
       When contacted, the Bayelsa Police Public Relations Officer,
       AlexAkhigbe, confirmed the development.
       He condemned the actions ofthe boys, saying the command had
       received various complaints on the matter.
       Akhigbe however said the environmental sanitation authority has
       no business arresting people and bringing them to the police.
       "The work of environmental sanitation is very different from
       that of the police,’’ he said, promising to meet with the
       sanitation authority on the matter.
       The Police PRO however did not comment on the alleged complicity
       of the police in thealleged extortion of money from members of
       the public
       All efforts to get the reaction of the Chairman of the
       authority, Chief Abel Ebifemowei, were unsuccessful as he
       declined commenting on the development when contacted.
       Share This Post
       *****************************************************
       Page 1 of 1