Militants who killed 12 policemen in Azuzuama, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, escaped with their bodies, arms, ammunition and uniforms.

None of the bodies of the policemen had been recovered by divers – as at press time last night.

The Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police, Kingsley Omire, said the slain policemen comprised two inspectors, four Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) and six constables. He did not name them.

Omire said a search party had been sent to the scene. They include divers, who are expected to go under water to search for the bodies.

The policemen were on escort duty from Yenagoa, the state capital, in a speed boat heading for Azuzuama for the burial of the mother of an ex-militant leader, Kile Torughedi, aka Young Shall Grow, who is also a Special Assistant to Bayelsa Governor on Maritime Security.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) claimed responsibility for the killing of the policemen.

It had earlier threatened to resume hostilities and sustained attacks, codenamed: “Hurricane Exodus” as a result of the 24-year jail term slammed on one of its leaders, Henry Okah, in a South African court on March 26.

Okah was sentenced for his involvement in the October 1, 2010 twin bomb blasts at the Eagle Square, Abuja during Nigeria’s golden independence anniversary. Twelve persons died in the incident.

The militant group declared that its fighters killed the policemen, because the Joint Task Force (JTF) dismissed its Hurricane Exodus as an empty threat.

Some former leaders of the MEND in Delta and Bayelsa states have gone into hiding, following the controversy surrounding the killing of the policemen.

Renowned MEND commanders, such as Mr. Victor Ebi (aka Boyloaf) and Paul Eris (Ogun Boss), have stayed away from public glare since the weekend incident.

Those who venture out do so with more civilian and police escorts. A top source at the Joint Task Force, “Operation Pulo Shield”, the special security outfit in the area, told the reporter that at least one of the former ex-warlords made “an informal appeal for inclusion of soldiers in his security guards” after the incident.

Former militant leaders, under the auspices of Leadership, Peace and Cultural Development Initiative (LPCDI), have condemned the killing, describing it as an attempt to rubbish the amnesty programme.

The group’s leader, Wilson Reuben (aka Pastor Reuben), also debunked Jomo Gbomo’s claim, saying: “We that are freedom fighters in Bayelsa are saddened that such incident happened in Bayelsa State. We want to state that the purported MEND claim is false.

MEND is not involved and the Amnesty Office is not involved. This is pure misunderstanding between a leader and his boys.”

While conceding that there are cases of deductions from the monthly stipends of the former armed youths, Pastor Reuben blamed the development on the Federal Government’s refusal to implement the terms of the amnesty deal to the letter.

Nevertheless, it was revealed that leaders of the Henry Okah-faction of MEND instigated the attack, using aggrieved former militants.

There is no doubt that there is disharmony in the rank and file of the amnesty beneficiaries in Bayelsa State. Those who are entrusted with the windfall from the struggle are buying cars and building houses and this has left many of their former “boys’ disillusioned.”

Source: Naij.com

Thought police found decaying bodies yesterday??

Very soon, I will work my way to negotiating lucrative Amnesty with the Federal Government.

Insha Allah

chiover: Thought police found decaying bodies yesterday??

The same Nigerian police who ran from stone thowing ALUU people yet they had guns and tear gas cannisters
Abeg,park well

Millitants n Nigeria are stronger than the army Lawd!

chiover: Thought police found decaying bodies yesterday??

By SaharaReporters, New York
The Bayelsa State Police command has recovered 10 bodies of police officers killed last Saturday by members of the militant Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) in the Azuzuama waterways of the state. Two bodies remain missing, according to our source.

A security source in Bayelsa stated that the bodies of the slain officers were badly mutilated by the militants who killed them.

The source added that the militants had taken the mutilated bodies into the bush to conceal them. He credited the discovery of the slightly decomposed remains to an intensive manhunt by members of the joint task force made up ofsoldiers, the navy and marine police. “Their valiant effort yielded results,” said our source,adding that the search party found the “bodies in bad state.”

In an official confirmation, the Bayelsa State Police Commissioner, Kingsley Omire, stated in Yenagoa that a combined team of security operatives today recovered the bodies of the slain policemen along the creeks of Azuzuamain southern Ijaw local government area.

Our correspondent reported that distraught and grief-stricken relatives of the murdered policemen had as early as 10 a.m. besieged the police marine base in Bebelebiri area of Yenagoa to await the arrival of the bodies.

Victor Ebebi, an older brother of one of the victims, Lucky Ebebi, told our correspondent that the police merely told him that his brother, who was 31, was missing. He added that he was at the base to find out if his brother’s remains had been recovered.

“I came to Yenagoa from Bomadi in Delta State only to be disappointed that we were not even allowed to check if my brother’s corpse has been found,” Mr. Ebebi said.

Our source disclosed that the bodies did not arrive until 7 p.m. (Nigerian time) on Tuesday amidst tight security. Relatives of the dead policemen and journalists were locked out of the premises of the jetty belonging to the Bayelsa State Ministry of Transport.

The slain officers’ bodies emitted an overpowering odor which forced their wailing relatives as well as sympathizers to cover their noses.

Sahara Reporters learnt that the remains had been deposited at the mortuary of the Federal Medical Centre inYenagoa.

http://saharareporters.com/news-page/police-recover-decomposing-bodies-10-murdered-policemen-bayelsa

Its Like the Militants are broke.., Its not their Fault..... If not for FG who are negotiating a better deal 4 Boko boys, will the Militants strike?

what a pity. killing is fast becoming a normal thing in naija