Gunmen Kill Two NYSC Members, Injure Others in Bayelsa

Gunmen Kill Two NYSC Members, Injure Others in Bayelsa

Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa

A gang of hoodlums has invaded a corps members’ residence along School Road, Swali, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, shooting three members of the National Youth Service Corps Corps(NYSC) and leaving several injured.

Of the three corps members, two were confirmed dead as at yesterday, while one who was critically injured was currently receiving treatment in one of the hospitals in the capital city.

The police identified one of the dead NYSC member as Popoola Oluwatobi Olamide, a 30-year old graduate of the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) and an indigene of Oyo State, while the rest were George Onokpoma, now deceased and Anthony Gbenga Dada, who survived.

The suspected cultists, numbering about six were said to have arrived the corps’ members’ residence at about 10.30 p.m and immediately started shooting into the lodge repeatedly with cries of anguish from within the residence.

The deceased corps members, it was gathered, were attached to a private school, identified as Victory Group of Schools, close to their residence and were marking some examination scripts when the hoodlums invaded their home.

It wasn’t immediately clear why the gang attacked, but it was learnt that one of the suspects, now in police custody, was found sleeping in the same room with the attacked corps members after the bloody attack.

“The armed men had attacked a shop close to the residence and the arrested suspect escaped and was traced to the house.

“It is suspected that the armed men wanted to kill him but instead met the corps members and shot them,” a source said.

The only shot survivors said the suspected cultists broke into their room and started shooting, adding that when the leader of the gang ordered that he should be shot in the head, there was no more bullet in their gun.

Confirming the incident in a statement, Police Spokeman, Asinim Butswat said: “On March 20, 2019 at about 2200 hours, armed robbers numbering about seven, attacked the residence of one Jerry Yeseme Moses, proprietor of a school, at swalli, Yenagoa.

“The armed robbers instantly shot and killed one Corps member, Oluwatobi Popoola; they also also shot one George Onokpoma, and Anthony Gbenga Dada.

“The victims were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, where George Onokpoma was confirmed dead, while Anthony Gbenga is responding to treatment. The command has launched a manhunt for the unknown gunmen, investigations is ongoing”.

He said the command paid a condolence visit to the State Coordinator NYSC, Bayelsa State, Mrs Lotto Bolade, to convey their condolence to the families of the deceased and the entire NYSC family.

Meanwhile, an angry mob in the early hours of Thursday in Akenpai, a suburb of Yenagoa, burnt to death a suspected cultist, who was found butchering a lady after killing her.

He was caught while trying to cut open the body of the young lady identified as Best, an indigene of Epie, when luck ran out on him.

A source said that at least three other ladies had lost their lives in the same circumstances in the last one month.

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