- Suspected vandal of Tebedaba-Brass trunkline in police net
From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Operatives of the Bayelsa State Police Command have arrested one of the killers of 50-year-old Hon. Odeinyefa Ogbolosingha, an in-law to the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri.
The suspect and others were also fingered in the murder of the Paramount Ruler of the Kalaba Community, Chairman of the Community Development Committee (CDC), HRH Kolibo Francis Amabelimo, and Samuel Oburo in Kalaba community of Yenagoa Local Government Area.
Ogbolosingha, Amabelimo, and Samuel Oburo were all murdered in June 2022 in very brutal circumstances, sending shockwaves across the state.
According to the Police, three persons, including one Gideon Atama, aged 32 years, Bethlehem Nwanlia, aged 49 years, and Clever Ovo, aged 33 years, have been linked to the murder.
The State Commissioner of Police, Francis Idu, who confirmed this in Yenagoa, stated that one of the suspects, identified as Nwanlia, is deceased, while Atama is at large.
He, however, confirmed that one of the suspects, Ovo, who is in their custody, has confessed that they were members of a notorious gang linked to an ex-militant leader.
According to Idu, Ovo noted that the leader of the gang has since been declared wanted by the Nigerian Army over the alleged killing of 16 soldiers at Okuama community in Ughelli South in Delta State sometime in the year 2024.
According to the CP, another member of the gang, Atama, who was arrested with a mobile phone, wearing an army camouflage uniform well-kitted like a soldier, later escaped.
“Upon a close check on the phone, pictures of assorted rifles and voice notes of their previous operations were unravelled. The suspect also mentioned sponsors in the vandalization of installations and facilities in the region,” he said.
Meanwhile the Policemen attached to the Labrado Security House boat at Igbikiba in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State have arrested a 20- years- old boat captain, Danile Williams, involved in alleged cases of pipeline vandalization.
According to the Police, Daniel Williams is allegedly involved in the recent attack on the Tebedaba-Brass trunkline in Southern Ijaw Local Government Council.
The 18-inch trunkline is operated by the Oando which supplies crude oil to the Brass terminal, was attacked in February.
The Police stated that Williams who hails from Igbomotoro community in Southern Ijaw, but resides at Sangana community in Brass Local Government Area was contacted by a wanted ex-militant leader to convey and deliver pipeline vandalization equipment such as two filing machines, five blades, five cutters, two machetes, five rechargeable head lamps, two Itel phones, two Radio sets, food stuffs and toiletries to be used for oil bunkering activities.