A pregnant woman, her husband and two others were shot dead by gunmen in an early morning retaliatory attack along the bakery Road area of Azikoro Town in Yenagoa local government council area of Bayelsa State.
The gunmen, according to security sources, launched the bloody attack in retaliation against the allege partnership between men of the Police security outfit, Operation Puff Adder and residents which led to the destruction of their camp inside the forest close to the area.
Our reporter gathered that the men of the Security outfit had on Tuesday night invaded the militant camp reportedly fingered by some residents as a base for illegal bunkering, kidnapping and other criminal activities.
Also listed as one of grouses against the residents was the recent mob arrest and lynching of four of their colleagues in the area.
A new generation church known as the Lion of Judah Fire Deliverance Ministry, off Bakery Road was also attacked by the gunmen with the security guard shot dead.
The pregnant wife and her husband were shot dead front of their house during the shoot out.
It was gatheredthat the men of the Operation puff adder were later deployed to the area to counter and engage the gunmen in a shooting spree. The killer gunmen were later chased away from the area.
The Commissioner of Police, Mike Okoli, also visited the scene, reassured members of the Community of adequate police protection and ordered for full Investigation to unravel the motive for this dastardly attack.
The Bayelsa State Police Command in a statement issued by its Spokesman, Asinim Butswat, announced that the police have launched manhunt for the suspected cultists who murdered four victims and set a house ablaze.
According to him, “On 5th August, 2020, at about 2300hours, armed suspected cultists stormed the ‘Lion of Judah Church’
Azikoro village, Yenagoa Local Government Area, Bayelsa State”
“They shot dead four church members namely; Alfred Marcus ‘m’ 30 years, Imomotimi surname unknown 25 years Gabriel Ejimofor ‘m’ 45 years and Uchechukwu Ejimofor ‘f’ 38 years and set ablaze a nearby building, damaged a vehicle and the church properties” .
“Operatives of operation Puff Adder had earlier traced the hideouts of the cultists in the bush, dislodged them and burnt their camp”
” It is believed that this is a reprisal attack by the suspected cultists. Meanwhile two suspects have been arrested and are cooperating with the Police in their investigation” .
