The operatives — 20 of them — arrived the Green Villa Hotels and Suites behind the Air Force officers' mess, at about 5am in two buses and an SUV to arrest the council boss, who was a lodger at the hotel.
Youth in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital have foiled an attempt by security operatives to arrest the Caretaker Chairman of Brass Local Government Council, Hon. Victor Isaiah, over his alleged complicity in the clash between PDP and APC supporters in the area in August, which led to the death of two persons.
The security operatives were identified as a team of detectives sent by the Police Force Headquarters in Abuja to investigate the unrest in Brass Local Government Area.
It was gathered that the operatives — 20 of them — arrived the Green Villa Hotels and Suites behind the Air Force officers' mess on Thursday at about 5am in two buses and an SUV, to arrest the council boss, who was a lodger at the hotel.
Eyewitnesses said as the policemen attempted to gain entry into the hotel premises, they were resisted by hotel security personnel, and youth summoned by some of Isaiah's aides.
Spokesman of the Bayelsa State Police Command, Asinim Butswat, confirmed the identity of the security operatives
"They are a team of detectives sent to make a thorough inquiry over the recent unrest in Brass Local Government Area," he said.
In a statement on the incident, Isaiah described the attempt to arrest him as an "act of brigandage".
Giving account of the incident, he said the armed men numbering 20 and armed with assault rifles, invaded the hotel where he had gone for political consultations, and attempted to "abduct" him on the claim that they were policemen.
According to Isaiah, "the security personnel at the hotel and good people of Bayelsa State resisted the evil attempt as the gunmen failed to identify themselves and follow known rule of arrest by the Nigerian Police Force."
He said the attempt, under "false pretence, was carried out without prior police invitation and laid down protocol".
He also said the gunmen, who claimed to be policemen, came with two buses and an SUV Tundra, suspected to belong to an APC stalwart in Brass Local Government Area.
He also noted that the State Police Command had investigated the incident, which took place in Twon Brass in which two persons were killed while attempting to "assassinate" him.
He said he honoured an invitation by the State Police Command and cooperated with the Police in view of his position as the Chief Security officer of the Council, stating that "they were satisfied".
He continued: "It has come to my notice that the APC member representing Brass Constituency 1, Israel Sunny-Goli, in coniavance with some elements are trying to arm-twist the police to divert the course of the investigation into the last month violence in Brass area.
"We, and the entire good people of Brass council, will not be intimidated and allow those responsible for the violence and killings in Brass council go scot free."