…“The bomb explosion reportedly occurred in the main secretariat building, where the office of the Secretary to the State Government is located.
BAYELSA, NIGERIA- The iNews Times | A bomb scare erupted yesterday at the Bayelsa State Secretariat following a mysterious bomb explosion that sent shockwaves through civil servants and residents of Yenagoa, the state capital.
Findings revealed that the Head of Service, Wisdom Ebiye Sawyer, after consultations, ordered the immediate evacuation of workers from the main secretariat and adjoining annexes to enable the Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team conduct a thorough sweep of the complex.
“The explosion reportedly occurred in the main secretariat building, where the office of the Secretary to the State Government is located. We were all directed to return home for safety reasons,” a staff member of the Ministry of Mineral Resources said.
Another employee alleged that a disgruntled man, who claimed to be a contractor owed by the state government for completed projects, took responsibility for the blast and threatened that additional explosive devices had been planted within the premises.
The suspect was said to have entered the secretariat early in the morning and detonated an explosive device near the SSG’s office, warning that he would trigger more explosions if his outstanding payments were not settled immediately.
Commissioner of Police, Bayelsa State Command, CP Iyamah Daniel Edebor, promptly mobilised the EOD unit, Special Drone Unit and other tactical teams to the scene to search for further threats.
After securing and cordoning off the area, the police contained the situation and discovered one unexploded Improvised Explosive Device (IED), which was successfully neutralised.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Musa Mohammed, confirmed the incident and the swift response by the command, noting that no lives were lost and no property was damaged. He also confirmed the arrest of a 60-year-old suspect, Pentecost Elijah from Otuan Community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, who is currently being interrogated.
Mohammed stated that the suspected bomb explosion occurred on February 11, 2026, within the State Secretariat Complex, adding that the Commissioner of Police personally led the emergency response teams to ensure the area was secured and made safe.
