Sporadic gunfire by policemen rented the air Saturday, as youths suspected to be political thugs invaded the Bayelsa State Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ostensibly to hijack materials for the conduct of the Federal House of Representatives primaries in the state.
Not even the large presence of security operatives could deter the thugs who held hostage members of the electoral committee of the party deployed to the state for the conduct of the primaries.
The PDP Election Committee led by Idi Adamu were held hostage at the PDP Secretariat for hours as the security men tried to dislodge the youths that besieged the place.
Some journalists who had positioned in the area to witness the distribution of materials for the exercise were forced to run for cover.
The incident, according to eyewitnesses, occurred at about 12:00noon
The thugs reportedly arrived the PDP Secretariat in a White Sienna Spacewagon and armed with dangerous weapons including guns.
“We were all held hostage for hours. It was fearful. All of us including, the State Working Committee members of the Party were trapped inside the Secretariat, the source said.
The invaders were said to have searched those coming out of the secretariat ostensibly for materials meant for the election.
“They searched the bags of some female journalists that tried to leave the premises of the secretariat,” the source added.
While members of the PDP State Working Committee were thrown into confusion, passersby and commuters along the D.S.P Alamieyeseigha Way took to their heels.
The youths it was learnt were eventually dispersed and the hostages freed when security reinforcement were deployed to the complex.
It was learnt that the election committee chairman, who had earlier addressed the journalists to witness the distribution of election materials, reportedly suspended the conduct of the primaries into the five federal constituencies of the state due to the perceived security threats. This however could not be confirmed.
Party faithful from the Yenagoa and Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituencies of the state nonetheless held the primaries in Yenagoa and Sagbama respectively.
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