Pandemonium broke out yesterday when some unidentified gunmen struck at Ogila-ama community in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

The gunmen, who came in three speed boats, shot sporadically before setting some buildings on fire, leaving the residents in a panic mode with some of them fleeing into the bush.

A native of the community identified as Bolouikie Ogoro, told newsmen that he received phone calls from his sister and that other people informed him of the armed invasion.

He disclosed that the hoodlums came in three speed boats and fired gunshots to scare the people away before setting buildings on fire.

The state police spokesperson, Asinim Butswat, said the Commissioner of Police, Mike Okoli,

has dispatched detectives to ascertain what happened in the community.

Observers noted that the latest attack in Ogila-ama came on the heels of similar invasions in recent times by gunmen as Peremabiri, also in Southern Ijaw LGA, was attacked twice on December 25, 2020, and January 3, 2021, with several residential houses destroyed, including that of a former militant leader, Eris Paul, alias ‘General’ Ogunboss.

Governor Douye Diri had on January 6 set up two bi-partisan peace and security committees to probe the remote and immediate causes of recent attacks by armed men on Southern Ijaw’s Peremabiri and Egbema-Angalabiri communities in Ekeremor LGA.

Justin Nwosu

Justin Nwosu is the founder and publisher of Flavision. His core interest is in writing unbiased news about Nigeria in particular and Africa in general. He’s a strong adherent of investigative journalism, with a bent on exposing corruption, abuse of power and societal ills.