Tragedy Averted As Bayelsa Police Commissioner Survives Attack By Suspected Pirates

Bayelsa-CP-tonye_ebitumiThe Commissioner of Police in Bayelsa, Tonye Ebitituwa, and his entourage, survived an ambush laid by armed men suspected to be pirates on Brass Waterways in the state.

This is contained in a statement issued by the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Alex Akhigbe, in Yenagoa on Thursday.

Mr. Akhigbe said the police patrol boat conveying the commissioner and his entourage was attacked on Tuesday during a tour of police formations within the command. He said the incident occurred around 7.30 p.m.

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The spokesman said Mr. Ebitituwa visited Oporoma, Korokoresei and Olugboiri in Southern Ijaw to access the crime situation in the area. He said in the ensuing gun battle, some of the pirates were feared dead, others jumped into the water, while their boat was sunk.

“What would have turned out to be another calamity was averted due to the alertness of the patrol team and the preparedness of the Bayelsa Police Command to deal with acts of criminality, sea piracy, armed robbery and other crimes in the state.”

Armed men had killed 11 policemen on escort duties within the same Southern Ijaw waterways in Bayelsa on April 6.

(NAN)