Gunmen kill two in Bayelsa passenger boat attack

Suspected gunmen on Saturday attacked a passenger boat along the Ogbia and Nembe waterways of Bayelsa State, shooting two persons dead, including an aide to the former Commissioner for Information in the state.

Also shot but not killed were a House of Assembly aspirant from the Brass area of the state, Mr. Alfred Belemote, his police escort and a boat driver.



The deceased aide, Mr. Awotimigha Iyabi, was said to be in his early 40s and had served the former commissioner, Chief Nathan Egba, as personal assistant.

He is said to be married with four children.

It was learnt that the gunmen, numbering about six and armed with sophisticated weapons, attacked the speed boat conveying the deceased and four others from Nembe.

An eyewitness, who craved anonymity, said the gunmen were operating along the waterways and dispossessing boat passengers of valuables.

He said the boat conveying the deceased ran into the gunmen and was attacked by the suspects.

While some persons claimed the armed men were suspected pirates, others said the gunmen targeted the boat conveying the deceased and his friend, Alfred.

It was gathered that the gunmen had earlier stopped a speedboats were reportedly heard shouting, “He is not here. It is the second boat.”

“It was at that point they sighted the second boat and opened fire. The mobile policeman attached to the aspirant put up a good fight by shooting back. But the fire power of the gunmen was huge.”

Confirming the incident, the former commissioner, Nathan Egba, who led journalists and friends on a condolence visit to the deceased’s wife, expressed shock at the attack and described the deceased as “non-violent man and gentle”.

Contacted on the development, spokesperson for the Bayelsa Police Command, Mr.Alex Akhigbe, said though details of the incident were sketchy, it was true that two persons were feared killed.

“Yes, it is true that two persons died in the attack,” Akhigbe said.