Suspected militants strike in Bayelsa

Gunmen suspected to be Niger Delta militants have attacked officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, carted away arms and abduct one official.

Some sources in Amabulou community in the local government area told Daily Trust that the incident happened on Saturday along the river in the community.

According to them, some unidentified gunmen had ambushed and attacked a team of NSCDC personnel, engaged them in a gun battle that led to the loss of weapons and abducted one of the personnel.

The members of the Amabulou community, however, rescued the personnel who had been disarmed while the suspected militants escaped with the arms.

The NSCDC team was said to be on patrol duty along the river to protect oil installations before they were attacked by the suspected oil thieves and militants.

The spokesman of NSCDC in Bayelsa State Command, Mr Solomon Ogbere Diri, who confirmed the report, said all the personnel involved in the attack are safe and no life was lost.

He said the personnel that was abducted was later rescued, while the investigation was ongoing to arrest the criminals and recover the arms carted away.

In a meeting with the Commandant of NSCDC, Christiana Abiakam-Omanu, and some security stakeholders in the state on Wednesday at the government house, the State Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, condemned the attack, saying the government would not hesitate to wield the big stick against any community found culpable for aiding and abetting crime and criminality in the state.

According to a statement by Mr Doubara Atasi, Senior Special Assistant to the Deputy Governor on media, the Deputy Governor directed community leaders to work closely with security agencies to identify and expose the criminal elements within the community to improve on the prevailing peace.

He emphasized the need for effective collaboration between community leaders, security agencies and the government to safeguard lives and prosperity in the state.

He said stakeholders, including traditional rulers, youth leaders and community development committee (CDC) chairmen, have a critical role to play for any security arrangement to succeed.

He assured the NSCDC that the government would leave no stone unturned to apprehend and prosecute the perpetrators, promising to consult the Governor with a view to setting up a committee that would look into the Amabulou issue.