Suspected Militants Kill IYC Scribe in Bayelsa

 

 

By Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa

Armed men suspected to be militants in the Niger Delta, operating along Brass waterways, Brass Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, have killed an executive member of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, Mr. Deiepreye Peters.

 The IYC spokesman, Mr. Eric Omare, confirmed the development yesterday and described the incident as “sad and unfortunate.”

 But it was gathered that security operatives were exploring the possibility that the victim, an indigene of Brass and Secretary of IYC in his clan, was attacked by pirates.

 The incident which occurred at the weekend, THISDAY learnt, led to fear in the waterways of Bayelsa State at the weekend, disrupting transportation to the coastal areas.

The gunmen reportedly ambushed and shot at the boat conveying the victim and forced its occupants to flee into the mangroves, though it was learnt that the victim did not die instantly.

Peters, it was learnt, later died of internal bleeding caused by the bullet wound.

Sam Dogitimi, a friend of the deceased told journalists that Peters was his former colleague in Brass Local Government Area.  ‘’ We fought together courageously against oil bunkering in the council,’’ he said.

He added, “Unfortunately, he is gone, no thanks to the notorious sea pirates. They were ambushed by the sea robbers on Friday, which consequently forced them to run into the Angala (mangrove).

 “Diepreye Peters, aka Daddy Offor, died of internal bleeding. For how long shall the people of Brass suffer in the hands of sea pirates?,” he queried.

He added that travellers are constantly robbed, maimed and killed by sea robbers along Brass waterways and called on relevant authorities to tackle the insecurity urgently.

Also a source in the community said, “this is not the first of such attack that the people of Brass have faced. Therefore there is a need for urgent deployment of navy personnel to protect lives and property of the Brass people.”

But when contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Asinim Butswat, said the report of the incident had not been officially reported to the command, noting that the public would know if it is officially reported.

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