Police Contain Suspected IED Blast at Bayelsa Secretariat, Arrest One

Police in Bayelsa State say they have contained a suspected Improvised Explosive Device (IED) explosion at the state secretariat complex in Yenagoa, with one man arrested in connection with the incident.

According to the Bayelsa State Police Command, the explosion occurred at about 6 am on Tuesday, 11 February, within the government complex.

The Command said its Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit swiftly secured the scene and prevented further danger.

It stated that the Commissioner of Police, Iyamah Daniel Edebor, led EOD operatives, a special drone unit and other tactical teams to the location shortly after the incident was reported.

The area, it added, was cordoned off, and a subsequent sweep led to the discovery of an unexploded device, which was rendered safe.

No casualties were recorded and no property was damaged, the police revealed.

A 60-year-old man, identified as Pentecost Elijah from Otuan community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area (LGA), was arrested at the scene.

Elijah is currently being questioned at the State Criminal Investigation Department and is expected to be charged to court after investigations are concluded, the police said.

Furthermore, the Command stressed the situation had been brought under control and normal activities had resumed at the secretariat, urging residents to remain calm and go about their lawful business.

New Recruits in Bayelsa Information Ministry Told to Embrace Professionalism

The Bayelsa State Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Hon Mrs Ebiuwou Koku-Obiyai, has charged newly recruited Information Officers to approach their roles with professionalism, integrity and unwavering commitment to public service. Addressing the fresh employees on Friday during her maiden meeting with them in Yenagoa, Koku-Obiyai said their appointment was a demonstration of the state government’s resolve to strengthen its information machinery and ensure a more effective, result-driven public service. Describing the opportunity as a rare privilege, she urged the recruits to justify the confidence reposed in them by embracing diligence, discipline and a strong work ethic, while warning that the Ministry would not tolerate lateness, absenteeism or any form of indiscipline. The Commissioner further revealed plans to introduce in-house training, particularly in areas such as Public Relations and media engagement, to enhance their capacity and performance. Also speaki...

Bayelsa Acquires Two Aircraft for Commercial Operations

Bayelsa State has taken a major step towards boosting air travel and economic activity as it acquires two aircraft for commercial flight operations at the Bayelsa International Airport . Governor Douye Diri disclosed the acquisition on Monday when he received the Prime Minister of the State of Africa in Diaspora , Dr. Tin Louise-George , at Government House, Yenagoa , during his maiden visit to Nigeria . Diri stated that the aircraft, already procured by the state government, would soon arrive and begin daily flights between Yenagoa, Lagos , and Abuja , adding that the move was aimed at making the state-owned airport more viable and self-sustaining. " We are working on ensuring regular, daily flights from Yenagoa to Lagos and Abuja. We had an arrangement with a private airline that became unsustainable, leaving the airport underutilised. Now, we have taken the bull by the horn. Two aircraft have been acquired and will soon begin commercial operations ," the Governor said. A...

Nigeria Moves Away from Borrowing

The federal government has unveiled a great shift in Nigeria’s fiscal strategy, moving away from heavy reliance on borrowing towards the mobilisation of mass domestic savings as a sustainable response to the nation’s rising debt burden. Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, disclosed the new approach during an interactive session on the 2026–2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP), hosted by the Senate Committee on Finance at the National Assembly. Edun said the policy pivot was essential in light of persistent revenue shortfalls, mounting fiscal pressures, and the need to strengthen domestic capital formation without further swelling public debt. According to the minister, Nigeria’s total public debt has soared to around N152 trillion, up from approximately N70 trillion in 2023, but a large portion of the increase did not stem from new borrowing. He explained that N30 trillion arose from the formal recognition an...

Search This Blog