1st February, 2012
Speculations are rife in Yenagoa that Timipre Sylva, former Governor of Bayelsa State has fled the country to evade arrest by security agencies.
He lost his immunity after he and four other state governors were sacked last week by the Supreme Court.
P.M.NEWS gathered from various sources in Yenagoa that the former governor and his wife fled through Akwa Ibom through Cameroun to South Africa.
Sylva was said to be under security watch before he escaped.
P.M.NEWS also gathered that the Senior Special Adviser on Security to Sylva, Chief Prekeme Richard Kpodoh who was in charge of the defunct notorious security outfit, Famou Tangbe accused of extra-judicial killings, has escaped to Dubai.
Civil Society Organisations and families of the deceased had filed several petitions against Sylva’s administration on abuse of human rights.
Other former aides of the fleeing governor are also said to be on the run. They include: former Special Adviser Youth Affairs, Israel Igoli,f ormer Chief of Staff, Samuel Ogbuku,and others.
Our source who bumped into Kpodoh in an elevator in Dubai on Tuesday 31 January, said: “he was shocked to see me. He probably never expected to see someone like me in Dubai”.
Our contacts further revealed that Kpodoh may have fled the country by going through any of Nigeria’s porous borders but flew by Kenyan Airways to Dubai.
Although Kpodoh’s destination is unclear, there is the suspicion that he may be heading to India or any of the Asian countries.
Meanwhile, the Acting Governor has directed all political appointees to vacate all government guest houses within 48 hours.
Thursday is the expiration of the deadline.
—Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt