Three members of staff at a ministry in Bayelsa State are currently assisting men of the state police command in their investigation after they were found to have allegedly stolen various equipment belonging to the state government which are said to be worth N500 million.
The command said its men had commenced an investigation into a case of criminal conspiracy and stealing of government-owned equipment at the Ministry of Labour Empowerment and Productivity in Yenagoa, the state capital, following a petition received by the Commissioner of Police in the state.
The names of those arrested were given as Wadi Igiran (female, aged 51 years), Nikade Sunday (male, aged 59 years), and Azabia Yakie (male, aged 59 years), all staff of the ministry and they were said to have confessed to the crime.
According to the petitioner, on June 22 at about 10:30 a.m., he led a team comprising staff of the ministry and the head of the Human Resources Department on an official inspection of the ministry’s equipment store located within the premises of the Ministry of Transport, Yenagoa.
He added that upon opening the store, it was discovered that several valuable government assets, including a 110 KVA Perkins generator, a forklift, lathe machines, electric filing machines and other equipment were missing.
Upon receipt of the petition, the Commissioner of Police directed the State Criminal Investigation Department to commence a discreet investigation that led to the arrest of the three staff members.
Following their arrest, the forklift was recovered from the receiver, and has been put in custody of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID).
They were said to have given more useful information to the operatives and they are expected to be charged to court at the conclusion of the investigation.
