The Bayelsa Police Command on Saturday in Yenagoa said rumour of a bomb scare making the rounds in the state capital was untrue.
The rumour followed the arrest of a suspect alleged to be carrying explosives in a bag.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that there was pandemonium earlier in the day in the city, following an incident along the Yenezue-Egene area of the state capital.
The incident occurred at about 2 p.m., after a man who was carrying two suspicious bags was accosted by some passers-by who demanded to know what he was carrying.
NAN learnt that he reportedly abandoned the bags and fled, raising suspicion that the bags might be laden with explosives.
An eyewitness, Mr. Tari Bokumo who spoke to NAN, said instead of surrendering the bags to the security operatives, the man abandoned them and ran away.
“His action led to panic along the road, as people fled the area and there was confusion.
“But, shortly after that, men of the anti-bomb squad of the Nigeria Police arrived the scene”, he said.
The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hilary Opara, who spoke to newsmen on Saturday, dismissed the story of a bomb scare in Yenagoa.
“When I heard of the rumour, I dispatched operatives of the anti-bomb squad of the State Command to the scene to carry out investigation.
“The operatives recovered the bags, but they were containing only electric wire. There was no explosive in them. It could be that the man stole them”, he said.
Opara expressed appreciation at the efforts of members of the public, who became suspicious and raised alarm when the suspect abandoned the bag and fled.
He appealed to the public to continue to monitor their environment and report suspicious movements and objects to the police. (NAN)
