It was gathered that the suspected
assassins, who were armed with AK-47
rifles, gained access into the compound
located in the Kpansia area of the state
capital at about 2 a.m.

But Mr. Ikiogha, a close friend and ally of
former President Goodluck Jonathan and
former Chief of Staff to Bayelsa State
Governor Seriake Dickson, was not in the
house when the gunmen struck.

Mr. Ikiogha parted ways with Mr. Dickson and
pitched his political tent with the All
Progressives Congress (APC), where he made
an unsuccessful attempt to secure the APC
ticket in the Bayelsa State gubernatorial race.
The hoodlums reportedly scaled the high fence
of the building and found a policeman guarding
the house fast asleep with his rifle.
They were said to have seized the policeman's
rifle and tied him up before breaking into one of
the rooms in the building.

Speaking in confidence, a source from the
house described the incident as scary, adding
that God saved the chief for not being home
when the gunmen came into the apartment.
He said the hoodlums operated for an hour
between 2 a.m. to 3 a.m. before leaving the
house.

“After tying up the policeman, the gunmen cut
the iron protective device in one of the
windows and entered the room. They held one
of the domestic servants at gunpoint and
ordered him to lead them to the chief's room,”
the source said.

“When they got to the room, the only saw the
wife. They asked the wife to produce her
husband. But the woman insisted he traveled.

“They told her they came for the chief but that
since he was not around she should give them
all the money in the house. The woman was
able to give them some money. They left
promising to come back for him again.”
The source said before the attack, the chief
complained that his life was being threatened
by some unknown persons.

"He was once complaining that people were
after his life. He said it could be in connection
with his recent statement on issues affecting
the state,” the source said.

When contacted, Mr. Ikiogha declined to give
details of the incident, claiming that divulging
such details could jeopardize the ongoing
investigation.

SAVAGE