Bayelsa bans use of oil firm’s assets, security details for campaigns, elections

On Friday, The Bayelsa State Security Council prohibited the use of assets, personnel and security operatives attached to surveillance contractors from political activities in the state.

Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Kemela Okara, said in a statement the council also decided to restrict such personnel and their assets to their oil and gas platforms.

Okara also said the council comprising the heads of all security agencies and top officials of the state government further banned the use of security operatives attached to very important personalities (VIPs) and political appointees for election purposes in adherence to the stipulated guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He said that it was further resolved the security agencies should not arrest, detain, or restrict the personal liberty of any leader or member of a political party without adherence to constitutional provisions.

But, Okara said the council decided agencies could arrest any leader of political party found to have been involved in acts inimical to national security with immediate notification to the governor.

According to him: “The Bayelsa State Security Council at its meeting held on Thursday, 17th January, 2019, resolved, amongst others as follows:

“All assets, personnel and security operatives attached to surveillance contractors of oil and gas companies operating in the State shall be limited strictly to their designated areas of operations, and specifically within such oil and gas platforms or facilities.

“Further, that in no circumstance should assets, personnel of surveillance contractors be used or involved in any political activity or electioneering processes.

“All security operatives attached to VIPs, political appointees, etc, shall in no circumstance be used or be involved in any election processes in accordance with stipulated INEC guidelines.

“No security agency, acting by itself or by its servants or agents or by any person(s) or authority howsoever described shall henceforth arrest, detain, or restrict the personal liberty of any member, stalwart or leader of any political party in Bayelsa State without recourse to the due process of law and/or court order, between now and the general elections.

“In Exceptional cases bordering on proven national security breaches or where a person is seen committing an offence in the presence of a member of any security service, he may be arrested and investigated, in which case the Governor shall be notified immediately.”

He said decisions of the council were meant to assure the Bayelsans of the commitment of the security agencies to be neutral, apolitical and professional in the forthcoming election in accordance with their respective service regulations, ethics and values.