February 14, 2025

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Assassins Go After Opponents Of Kpofire Business In Bayelsa

4 min read

 

By Our Reporter

 

 

The rate of assassination in Bayelsa state in recent times has sent jitters to the spines of residents especially those living in Yenagoa, the state capital.
Killers are really on the prowl, ostensibly targeting community leaders who are opposed to illegal oil activities in different oil and gas host communities across the state.
The situation is said to be undermining efforts being made by the governor, Douye Diri to ensure that Bayelsa remains one of the most peaceful states in the country as has been adjudged by security experts.

 

 

From April this year till date, five successful assassination cases has been recorded in the state with several attempted cases of assassination, thereby forcing traditional rulers and community leaders in oil producing areas to flee their domain, following threats to their lives by suspected oil bunkers.
Heralding the ugly trend was the gruesome murder of the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Mr. Sunday Frank-Oputu in April this year at his Yenagoa residence which was initially believed in some quarters to be politically motivated but was later traced to oil bunkering related intra-communal crisis at his Igbomotoru community in Southern Ijaw local government area of the state.

 

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According to the traditional ruler of Igbomotoru community, HRH Aseimiegha Ofongo, the sudden demise of the APC chieftain was connected to the intra-communal crisis involving a certain suspected illegal oil bunker who wants to use force to change the leadership of the community.
Ofongo hinted that late Frank-Oputu’s firm resistance to the nefarious activities of the said bunker may have led to his assassination, claiming that he had since gone into hiding as the alleged assailants that killed the APC chieftain were threatening to kill him and take control of the crude oil rich Igbomotoru community.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the same vein, gunmen suspected to be crude oil thieves three weeks ago killed the traditional ruler of Kalaba community in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Francis Kolubo, and the Community Development Committee (CDC) chairman, Samuel Oburo, for allegedly opposing their plot to set up a bunkering camp in the area.
According to community sources, the monarch was abducted from his palace to an unknown destination where he was murdered, while the CDC chairman was dragged out of his house and brutally killed at his backyard.

 

 

 

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It was learnt that trouble began when a known crude oil bunkering merchant who hails from the community mobilized his group to set up crude oil bunkering camp in the bushes bordering Kalaba and Ikarama communities sometime early this year.
We gathered that the plan by the crude oil bunkers was fiercely resisted by the deceased monarch and CDC chairman on the grounds that any attempt to disrupt the activities of Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) would hinder the development of the community and the state, a situation that angered the suspected oil thieves and began to plot the heads of the opposition which was revealed to the victims by some of their subjects but they overlooked the intelligence information before they were eventually murdered.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Similarly, another young man from Igbematoru community in Southern Ijaw local government area of the state, Mr. Ndukakpo Ogede was shot dead penultimate week in Yenagoa, the state capital.
Reports said the victim who was also a member of the Oil and Gas Task Force, in Southern Ijaw LGA, was shot dead about 8:00pm in a hotel at Tamic Road, Yenagoa, where he used to lodge.
Some eye witnesses who pleaded anonymity said the assassins who came with an unidentified vehicle, were mistaken for security operatives as they all had the inscription “Special Force” on their dresses.

 

 

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It was learnt that the assailants went into the hotel premises and shot the victim at his neck where he was seated outside and hurriedly left the premises while shooting sporadically, even at the vehicles that were packed in the premises.
In a related development, the Amadaowei of Adagbabiri community in Sagbama local government area of the state, His Royal Highness Alaowei Okee has written to the state commissioner of police, Ben Okolo over the unlawful activities of suspected crude oil thieves in his domain, alleging that his refusal to agree with the shady activities had led to threats to his life.
The paramount ruler who also denied abandoning his throne and community due to the alleged threats from sponsors of the illegal oil thieves said he was duly elected by his people and gazetted by the state government of which he receives their total support not to allow such nefarious and dangerous activities in his domain.

 

 

 

 

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The on-going menacing act of assassination in the state occurred last Friday night when unknown gunmen dressed in military camouflage shot dead a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in Bayelsa State, Mr. Odeinyefa Ogbolosingha.
The deceased, 53, who was an administrative officer in the state civil service and secretary, Okordia/Zarama Cluster Development Board, was killed a few hours after discharging his ailing wife from the hospital to the house.
Meanwhile, no arrest has been made so far by the Nigerian Police Force or any relevant security agency in connection to the mindless assassinations going on in the state.

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