6 Arrested For Killing Electoral Commission’s Boss [See Photo]

The Department of State Service, Bayelsa State Command, has apprehended six persons in connection with the killing of the Administrative Secretary, Bayelsa State Independent Electoral Commission, Chief Simeon Akpane.

Akpane was murdered by some gunmen on October 10, 2014 in front of his residence at Bethel Church Close, off Otitio Road, Yenezue-gene, Yenagoa.

The BYSIEC secretary was shot at close range by his attackers.

DSS preliminary investigations showed that he was an armed robbery victim.

Parading the suspects on Wednesday, the state Director, DSS, Mr. Laasan Baba, named the suspects as Freedom Allen, 26; Clarkson Okilo, 27 and Abubakar Ibrahim, 24.

Others are Salisu Haladu, 24; Maharaza Sallau, 20 and Simeon Macaulay, 20.

Baba said on the day of the incident, Allen, Okilo and one Ebi, who was still on the run, carried out the robbery operation to get money for personal needs.

He said the suspects hatched the plot at Biogbolo Community School between 2pm and 7pm on the fateful day.

He said about 8pm, they boarded a commercial tricycle, known as Keke, from their location to Otiotio Road to find a victim to rob.

He said the suspects confessed that they chose Otiotio because the area was inhabited by rich persons.

The DSS boss said, “As they walked into Bethel Church Close, they saw a flashy car driving into the close and followed the vehicle as they believed that the occupant must have money on him.

“As their victim parked in front of his house, they blocked him, searched and collected his GSM phone.

At this juncture, their victim grabbed Omega, a member of the gang who was holding a pistol, and began to struggle with him. 

“This prompted Allen to collect the locally-made revolver pistol popularly known as Awka made from Omega and shot their victim on the head. 

As their victim fell on the ground, they took to their heels with the victim’s phone.”

Baba said Clarkson, who collected the victim’s phone, sold it for N5,000 that night at about 9.30pm to Ibrahim at Yenezue-gene, who in turn sold it for N6,000 to Halladu.

Halladu, according to DSS director, sold the phone to Sallau, from whom the command recovered it.

Baba said, “Further investigation led to the arrest of Simeon Macaulay who has been in the business of buying and selling stolen GSM handsets. 

“The command, in collaboration with all security agencies and other relevant, has declared total war on kidnappers, assassins and other criminal elements in the state. 

“Members of the public are advised to desist from patronising dealers of fairly-used mobile phones as such phones may have been stolen.”

He commended members of the public that gave the information to the service that led to the arrest of suspects.

The suspects confessed to the crime and said hunger drove them into it.