Authorities detain trio of Bayelsa employees over alleged theft of N500m worth of state-owned machinery

The Bayelsa State Police Command has taken three staff members of the state Ministry of Labour, Empowerment and Productivity into custody, alleging their involvement in the theft of government equipment worth approximately N500 million.

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A range of government-owned assets, including a 110 KVA Perkins generator, a forklift, lathe machines, and electric filling machines, were reportedly stolen from the ministry's store, prompting an investigation into the disappearance of these valuable items.

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The command's spokesperson, DSP Musa Mohammed, announced the arrests in a statement released on Saturday in Yenagoa, explaining that the investigation was initiated after a petition was submitted to the Commissioner of Police.

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According to Mohammed, the petition was filed after ministry officials discovered that several valuable items were missing during an inspection of the equipment store, which led to a discreet investigation by the State Criminal Investigation Department.

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On June 22, 2026, at about 10:30 a.m., the petitioner led a team to inspect the ministry's equipment store, located within the premises of the Ministry of Transport in Yenagoa, where it was found that several government assets were missing, including a 110 KVA Perkins generator and a forklift.

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The investigation led to the arrest of three suspects: Wadi Igiran, 51, from Besine community in Yenagoa Local Government Area; Nikade Sunday, 59, from Agbere community in Sagbama Local Government Area; and Azabia Yakie, 59, from Okutukutu community in Yenagoa Local Government Area.

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All three suspects, who are staff members of the ministry, have confessed to the crime, and the forklift has been recovered from the receiver and is currently in the custody of the State Criminal Investigation Department.

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Once the investigation is complete, the suspects will be charged in court, according to Mohammed, who reaffirmed the command's dedication to protecting public assets and combating economic and property-related crimes.

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The command remains committed to ensuring that those involved in criminal activities are held accountable, with a focus on safeguarding government property and preventing future incidents of theft.