Gunboat Kills 4 Policemen, 2 Pipeline Surveillance Worker In Bayelsa

A mysterious gunboat has crushed four policemen who were on patrol duty and some officials of an oil surveillance company, Darlon Security Surveillance Services in Bayelsa State.

The incident occurred between Okumugbene and Odewari river close to Korokorosei junction in Southern Ijaw local government area of the state.

Among the dead is the operations manager of the company and the younger brother of former gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, David Lyon, who was identified as Odi Lyon.

LEADERSHIP gathered that though the identity of the killer gunboat has not been known, there are indications that it may not be unconnected with the raging bloody clashes between some suspected illegal refinery operators, the Darlon security operatives and the Nigerian military.

Some stakeholders claim that the gunboat mistook the occupants of the boat for pirates harassing the people of the area.

It was also gathered that while another worker identified as Ogbojimo was lucky to have survived the unfortunate incident, others were not so lucky to escape the onslaught. The corpse of the police victims has been recovered, while three others are still missing.

A source said the deceased policeman, whose body was recovered, was able to swim to the shore but died before he could get to the clinic at Olugbobiri. The incident happened in the early hours of Wednesday – around 1:30am.

The boat conveying the victims which has a 200-horsepower engine was said to have stopped while on the journey for a reason yet unknown, paving way for the predators to attack them.

When contacted, the police public relations officer, Bayelsa State command, Mr Asinim Butswat, confirmed the incident and said one Policeman was killed and three missing.  “On 25 July 2022, at about 20:00 hours, a boat conveying policeman on surveillance capsized at Korokorosei waterways, southern Ijaw Local Government Area. One Policeman’s body was recovered while three are missing,” he said.

The command is yet to establish the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate incident. Divers have been deployed to the Area for possible rescue of the missing persons.”