•Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri
A Magistrate’s Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, has ordered the remand of a 35-year-old man, Susaine Morgan, over an alleged assassination attempt on the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri on new year day.
The suspect is also facing charges of unlawful possession of two assault rifles (AK-47).
He was reportedly apprehended at the minister’s residence in Ekeremor town, Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, reports Vanguard.
The remand warrant, issued by the state Commissioner of Police, Francis Idu, and filed by Police Prosecutor, Stella Jerry-Friday, was approved to allow the suspect’s detention for 30 days at Okaka prison.
This is to enable the investigating team of the police to track and arrest six others now at large.
The charge sheet read: “The defendant was arrested on January 1, 2025, at Senator Lokpobiri’s residence for conspiring with others to commit armed robbery, attempted kidnapping, and for being in possession of two AK-47 rifles.”
The police prosecutor explained that the request for suspect remand was necessary due to the limited power of the police to detain the suspect without a court order.
“The suspect’s detention will prevent interference with the ongoing investigation, especially as six other suspects remain at large,” a police source said.
According to security report, seven of the suspects gained access into the residence of the minister by mingling with the crowd of visitors who came to pay homage.
But information got to the military personnel stationed at the residence of the presence of armed persons among the visitors.
“Due to the large crowd, the soldiers could not open fire but ordered everyone to lie down. It was only the arrested suspect, who was with the bag conveying the weapon, that got arrested. Others mingled with the crowd and escaped,” the source stated.
The other suspects reportedly fired shots as they fled the community, attacked a filling station and carted away N400,000.
