Bayelsa Ex-NANS leader cleared of robbery allegations –

The Nigerian Police, Bayelsa State Command has cleared the former President  of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Bayelsa State chapter, Benjamin Perewari, of allegations of armed robbery and illegal possession of fire arms.

Perewari, who was a final year student of History and Diplomacy, Niger Delta University (NDU) and the Chairman of NANS in 2017, was arrested alongside seven other youths including some students from Rivers State.

A police report on the matter signed by Officer in Charge of Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Pius Timiala, said Perewari and others hired four buses to attend Zone 8 NANS election at the Federal University Otuoke.

According to the report while on their way, misunderstanding ensued between the students and the drivers, who later complained that the students robbed them of their cash and mobile phones at gunpoint.

The report said: “Benjamin tried to resolve the issue but the students from Rivers State were uncontrollable. He didn’t know that any of the students were in possession of a pistol.

“Immediately after the fracas, most of the students took another bus to Otuoke and when the complainants told Perewari that the students took their money and their phones, he urged the driver to pursue them to enable him retrieve the stolen items for the owners. He never robbed any of the drivers”.

The report indicted three of the suspects saying there was prima facie evidence of unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition against them.

But Perewari and four other suspects were not indicted and were subsequently released.

Confirming the incident, Perewari said he was a victim of frame-up because he stood against the increment of school fees in NDU.

He said:”I became an automatic enemy to the state government and this led to my frame-up on a case of Armed Robbery/Possession of illegal firearms and destruction of my personality during the NANS Zone B elections.

“They almost killed me but as God would have it, since I was innocent of all allegations, I was released by the Nigerian Police after concluding their investigations and found out that I was innocent of all charges.”