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Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Gunmen in three speedboats yesterday invaded the country home of former governor Henry Seriake Dickson at Toru Orua, Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, killing one police officer.
The deceased, an Inspector, was said to have led the policemen on duty to repel the attack but he sustained bullet wounds in the shootout with the hoodlums and later died after losing so much blood.
According to investigations, the hoodlums accessed the community from the Forcados River fully armed but were caught unaware by the presence of policemen.
Dickson, in a statement by his media adviser, Fidelis Soriwei, condoled with the immediate family of the late police officer, the Inspector-General of Police, the Bayelsa State Commissioner of police and the entire police team on the death of the gallant policeman.
The former governor noted that this period was, indeed, a trying one for the country, the police and the security agencies. He called on the people to give security agencies the requisite support to effectively carry out the sensitive duty of securing the society.
Dickson said that the commissioner of police and heads of other security agencies have commenced immediate investigation to unravel those who perpetrated the heinous acts. He urged everybody to remain calm to await the outcome of police investigation
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mike Okoli, who visited the scene, has appealed to members of the community to remain calm as the command is working assiduously to arrest the perpetrators and bring them to book.
Police public relations officer in the state, Asinim Butswat, confirmed the death of the policeman. He said: “On November 19, 2020, at about 0200 hours, unknown gunmen in three speedboats, who came through the Forcados River, attempted to invade the residence of Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson at the riverine community of Toru-Orua, Sagbama Local Government Area, but were repelled by policemen on duty.
“An Inspector of police, who sustained gunshots injuries resulting from the fierce encounter with the gunmen, later died and his corpse has been deposited at the mortuary.
The command condoles with the family and relatives of the Inspector of police, who fought gallantly with his team to prevent the gunmen from invading the residence.”
Governor Douye Diri, reacting to the incident in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, strongly condemned the attack noting that it is unthinkable that an illustrious son of Bayelsa and the Ijaw nation as Chief Dickson could be the target of such a mindless attack.
He said his government would work with the police and other security agencies to ensure the perpetrators of the dastardly act are apprehended and brought to book.
While commending the gallantry of the security personnel that repelled the attackers, Diri commiserated with the family of the police officer who unfortunately died as a result of the attack.
