Governor Timi Sylva
One of our sources said that the assault was public confirmation of Mr. Sylva’s reputation for violence as well as widespread whispers of the governor’s drug abuse problem. “Governor Sylva is a well known bully, but it would be the first time he would visit his wrath on a serving and senior law enforcement agent,” said the source, an officer with the State Security Service (SSS).
Mr. Jonathan had come to campaign in his home state. As is the custom, the state government had rented several women groups from the countryside to swell the president's campaign train. However, a group of women from Ogbia community were screened and then stopped by a police team maintained by the state government’s special assistant on security. The police team, known as "Framtangbe," said they suspected that the women posed a security risk since their group's name was not on the protocol list. The women were then forced to standstill at a roundabout in a kind of virtual detention.
One of our sources said that the senior police officer, Mr. Akpenyi, intervened on noticing that the women had been restrained from moving about. After a brief chat with the Framtangbe commander, the assistant commissioner told the police officers to let the women return to Ogbia if they would not be permitted to attend Mr. Jonathan's rally.
A few minutes after securing the women’s release, ACP Akpenyi received a telephone call from a person who introduced himself as Governor Sylva. He wanted to know where ACP Akpenyi was located. After a brief chat, he hung up. Shortly after, Mr. Sylva arrived at the roundabout with the state’s Commissioner of Police of the state as well as agents of the SSS attached to the governor’s office. He ordered the SSS to arrest Mr. Akpenyi and take him to the Government House, but the embattled officer pleaded to be allowed to travel in his official vehicle. He was then escorted to the office of Mr. Sylva.
When the ACP alighted from his vehicle, Mr. Sylva ordered him to walk directly ahead of the governor. Mr. Akpenyi was then marched into Governor Sylva's private office where the governor proceeded to beat him with a walking stick and kick him in the groin.
One of our sources who also witnessed the assault disclosed that Mr. Sylva accused ACP Akpenyi of conniving with his "enemies" to bring in unruly women from Ogbia who were hired to boo him and throw water sachets at him in public glare. Mr. Sylva was referring to a disgraceful public outing with President Jonathan at an earlier political event where the governor was booed and pelted with water sachets.
“The governor assaulted the ACP in the presence of Professor Kimse Okoko,” said one of our sources, adding that the governor stopped the assault only after Mr. Sylva was informed that President Jonathan was available for a private meeting. His security aide then let ACP Akpenyi out through the back door.
One police source said the assault was reported to Inspector General of Police Hafis Ringim and that the IGP. “I understand that the IG asked the Commissioner of Police about it, but the commissioner described what happened as ‘a small misunderstanding’ that had been resolved,” said an SSS source.
Naija News Desk called one of Governor Sylva’s media aides for a reaction, but the aide said the governor was at a meeting.
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