The Assistant Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party in Bayelsa State, Amadein Tibiebi, has been apprehended by officers of the Zone 16 Command of the Nigerian Police on allegations of illegal firearm possession.
According to The PUNCH, Tibiebi, who has a history as an ex-militant, is currently under intense interrogation.
Due to the unavailability of a detention facility at Zone 16, he is being held at the Criminal Investigation Department within the Bayelsa State Police Command.
The arrest, which took place on Monday, is reportedly linked to a previous incident dating back to November 2021, when one Richard Okon was arrested for illegal firearm possession during a wake-keep event in Koluama, a community located in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
Okon, in a confession captured on video, claimed that the firearm in question belonged to Tibiebi, under whom he was allegedly working. Despite this confession, no significant action was taken at that time.
A police insider explained that Tibiebi had been summoned by law enforcement in the past but managed to evade serious consequences by presenting falsified licenses and forged documentation.
His release was allegedly facilitated by influential connections, allowing him to continue his activities.
However, Tibiebi’s recent arrest follows a fresh petition lodged with the police, accusing him of making threats to life.
The source suggested that the 2021 incident had emboldened Tibiebi, who has since been openly boasting about his untouchability due to his powerful connections.
Another source within Zone 16 revealed that Tibiebi, upon his arrest, made frantic attempts to leverage his connections by contacting senior politicians, including senators and high-ranking law enforcement officers, in an effort to avoid detention.
The source stated, “Tibiebi is being investigated for alleged illegal possession of firearms. It is a serious offense, but he has been calling very powerful people to go scot-free.”
Tibiebi is notably the nephew and chief security officer to Cleopas Moses, a former PDP state chairman who served as the representative for Bayelsa Central Senatorial District in the Ninth Senate.
A source from the community remarked, “Tibiebi has been boastful about being untouchable by law enforcement officials because of his connections in the PDP and state government.”
Zone 16’s Public Relations Officer, Emonena Gunn, confirmed Tibiebi’s arrest, stating that the matter is currently under investigation, though he refrained from providing further details.
