Thugs attack court in Bayelsa, disrupt proceedings

Hoodlums suspected to be party thugs on Thursday invaded the Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa and disrupted the court proceedings.

It was gathered that the court was hearing a pre-election suit between the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Abel Ebifemowei, and Moses Cleopas of the Peoples Democratic Party, both from the Bayelsa Central Senatorial District when the hoodlums struck.

The incident occurred two days to the rescheduled December 5 senatorial bye-elections for Bayelsa Central and West in the state.

The invasion, which happened around 1:30 pm while the presiding judge, Justice Jane Inyang, was not on seat, caused pandemonium which resulted in a stampede with some lawyers sustaining injuries.

It was further learnt that Justice Inyang had stood down the suit to allow parties to regularise their processes when the hoodlums stormed the court.

A former legal adviser of the PDP in the state, Richard Perekeme, who confirmed the incident, said lawyers present in court scampered to safety.

“The hoodlums were about 20 in number and armed with weapons. They seized wigs from lawyers. They collected mobile phones and chased everyone out of court 2, though they did not take mine,” he said.

Perekeme, who could not confirm if the invaders were political thugs, said there was poor security on the premises.