Police lament surging killings of security personnel in Niger Delta

By EGUFE YAFUGBORHI, Port Harcourt

The Nigeria Police Force has lamented rising fatal attacks on security personnel in the Niger Delta, charging heads of commands across the region to check the menace.

A recent signal from the Police Director of Operations (DOPS), Asaba to heads of Command in the region, sighted by Vanguard, noted that intelligence of the bureau of the Nigeria Police Intelligence, Abuja, indicated “upsurge in attacks on security personnel across Niger Delta, particularly Rivers, Cross River, Delta, Akwa Ibom States.”

In the timeline on latest incidents, the DOPS, Asaba referred to the killing of eight security personnel in different attacks across the region with guns and ammunition of the victims carted off by usually armed attackers.

The timeline captured that, “On 22 June 2020, suspected sea pirates invaded police outposts at Akpab Okon Ene community, Bakassi Local Government Area (LGA), Cross Rivers, shot dead Inspector Festus Ogene, tied Inspector Emokpire Ibrahim with rope, carted away their two rifles with 60 rounds of ammunition.

“August 18, personnel of the Nigerian Customs were attacked by smugglers at Ukak village, Nsit Ubium LGA, Akwa Ibom, two AK47s belonging to the organisation carted away by the hoodlums.

“September 4, unidentified hoodlums ambushed Operations Delta Safe (OPDS) at Okoma, Ahoada East LGA, Rivers state, shot dead CPL Tibitus Joseph, escaped with his rifle.

The day after, September 5, militants dislodged from illegal refineries sites within the region launched unprecedented attacks, killed five security guards, snatched six rifles of the slain officers.”

Same September 5, “at about 0223hrs, CPL Aken Dadi attached to OPDS was shot dead while on patrol, his rifle carted away by the unknown assailants.”

The timeline excluded the case of the DCO, Afam, SP Moses Egbede, who was kidnap and killed even after collecting ransom by Ogoniland, Rivers state rooted gang led by alleged notorious killer, Honest Diigbara, aka Bobosky, who died under police arrest 15 September.

The Commissioner of Police (CP) Rivers Command, Joseph Mukan, who revealed the gang murder of SP Egbede, further linked the late Bobosky and his gang to the “Killing of a soldier and personnel of Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps, at Gio pipeline, Ogoni last year.“

The signal from the DOPS, Asaba, consequently tasked “Commissioners of Police in Akure, Benin, Asaba, Port Harcourt, Uyo, Calabar, Yenagoa, Owerri, Umuahia and Akwa Ibom, to utilize all security apparatus at your disposal to avert further attacks within your area of responsibilities.

“Police State Investigative Bureaus (in same states) are to intensify intelligence gathering and promptly furnish the authorities with findings and CPs directed to always lecture their men to be on red alert.” (Saturday Vanguard)