By Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa
An armed gang suspected to be hired assassins, yesterday invaded the home of an editor with the Bayelsa State-owned radio station, Glory FM 97.1, Mr. Famous Giobaro, and shot him dead.
The group of five gunmen, reportedly attacked Giobaro, who worked as a Desk Editor before his death at about 5a.m. around the INEC Road area in Yenagoa,
Without taking with any of the deceased’s belongings, the gang was said to have shot their target many times in the stomach at close range and watched him die in a pool of his own blood.
The hoodlums, neighbours said seemed to have had a complete knowledge of the house, as they navigated the man’s residence without much trouble.
They reportedly pulled down the kitchen door and forced their way to the broadcaster’s bedroom through the living room after climbing the fence by using a ladder.
The gang was also said to have earlier destroyed the wires on the fence of Giobaro’s house, a job that neighbours said appeared to be professionally done.
Two unidentified men, who were in the bedroom with the deceased, were said to have tried to resist the gunmen from entering the room, but reportedly fled into the wardrobe and the toilet respectively when the gunmen started shooting at the door to force it open.
A neighbour to the deceased, who preferred to remain anonymous, said Giobaro, who tied a piece of wrapper round his waist, was first hit by a bullet when he came out of his bed following the sounds of gunshots.
“They didn’t steal anything and they didn’t go to any other flat. It was a case of assassination,” the source said.
The source said the children of the deceased were not at home when the gunmen struck as he sent them to stay temporarily with his wife, whom she had separated from sometime ago.
“They were on a mission to kill him. They shot many bullets on the door. They still came to him on the pool of his blood to shoot him many times in the stomach,” the source added.
It was gathered that the police came shortly after the incident and took the corpse to the morgue of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Yenagoa.
It wasn’t clear why the gang killed Giobaro, however, it was learnt that the late journalist had earlier received multiple threat messages in connection with the relationship he had with a women before he was killed.
The Chairman of the state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr. John Angese, condemned the incident describing it a big blow to the journalism profession in the state.
Angese called on the police to investigate the incident and bring the perpetrators to book.
When contacted, the state Police Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Asinim Butswat, said the case was being thoroughly investigated.
