Police, SSS Hunt Youths Threatening Patience Jonathan

   

In a swift reaction to different statements issued in Abuja and Yenagoa discouraging the First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan from attending a campaign rally in her husband’s home state of Bayelsa, the police and the Department of State Security (DSS) have reportedly swung into action.

The Nation reports that the security agencies on Wednesday started investigations to unveil the identities of youths behind the repeated threats to attack the First Lady.

According to a security source who spoke on condition of anonymity, the headquarters of the two security agencies were taking the matter very seriously.

“They have started their investigations from Abuja and very soon they will establish the veracity of the threats,” he said.

It will be recalled that two youth groups, under the aegis of the Bayelsa Youth Vanguard (BYV) and the Mangrove Boys of Bayelsa (MBB), in different statements demanded that the First Lady not attend a presidential rally of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) slated for February 5 in Yenagoa.

It is understood that the aggrieved youths accused the First Lady of prompting a political crisis in the state as well as working against the incumbent Governor, Seriake Dickson. The youths vowed to embarrass and disgrace Patience Jonathan at the scheduled rally.

Meanwhile, the state’s government has reportedly made frantic efforts to stop the alleged plan and openly condemned in very strong terms the threats stemming from the youths.

In a statement issued and signed by Dickson’s chief press secretary, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, he described the reports as the handiwork of the opposition.

The governor’s chief press secretary described the group as a faceless group, adding that they only exist on the pages of newspapers and should not be taken seriously.

Markson in the statement reassured Patience Jonathan and other highly placed party chieftains expected at the scheduled grand breaking rally of their safety.

It will be recalled that Patience Jonathan recently criticised the scrapping of the office of the First Ladies, arguing that “First Ladies have made profound contributions to the development of Nigeria.”

The First Lady, who has been very active in her husband’s political life, recently urged Nigerian women to vote for President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 presidential elections.