News: Gunmen Kill Mobile Policeman, Passenger in Bayelsa

A police corporal was on Wednesday killed by unknown persons at his place of duty in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, with his service rifle taken away, even as pirates operating along the creeks of the Niger Delta in another operation killed one passenger of a boat while robbing others of their belongings.

The mobile policeman was killed at Akenpai area of the state capital by unidentified gunmen.

Confirming the incident, the state police command, through the office of the acting Public Relations Officer, Mr. Lawrence Eboka, said the deceased was shot at about 7am yesterday while on his way to his duty post. He was said to have been shot dead at close range.

The acting PPRO said, “Yes, it is true. He was shot dead and his rifle is missing. We are making all efforts to apprehend the killers and recover the stolen weapon.”

Meanwhile, pirates operating in the Bayelsa waterways have killed one person during an hour of unprovoked rage as they shot indiscriminately into the passenger boat.

The hoodlums, numbering five, shot the victim along the Akassa-Yenagoa water way which in recent time has been the hotbed of piracy and oil theft in the state.

It was gathered that the bandits who were masked also carted away valuables including money, mobile phones and the fuel line of the boat. The fate of the boat driver who escaped with gunshot wounds and other passengers who were rushed to various hospitals  was unknown at the time of filing this report.

The ill-fated boat operates from Bekekiri, a settlement in Akassa axis of Brass Local Government Area, to the Swali Ultra-Modern Market in Yenagoa, the state capital.

The corpse of the victim has since been handed over to the marine police in Yenagoa and the boat owner is also receiving treatment in Yenagoa, Coal Press Nation gathered.

Although the police spokesman could not be reached, the security officer attached to a police station in the area, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, confirmed the incident, saying the pirates invaded the boat at about 9a.m.