Philip Eke, Yenagoa
Police operatives in Bayelsa State, in collaboration with the Joint Task Force (JTF), have arrested 14 suspects and recovered firearms in connection with a violent attack on Ogboinbiri community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, where one person was killed and several others injured.
Police public relations officer in the State, DSP Musa Mohammed, confirmed the arrest in a statement on Monday, saying the operatives acted on credible intelligence to arrest the suspects.
He said the the operatives also recovered four pump-action guns, three packets of cartridges, and four operational speed boats mounted with engines, suspected to have been used for criminal activities along the waterways.Governor Douye Diri had last week dethroned the paramount ruler of Ogboibiri community and his council over the crisis.
Before then, the state government had announced dusk-to-dawn curfew in the community to forestall further loss of lives in the warring area.
DSP Muhammed said,“Preliminary investigation revealed that on 10th May 2026, at about 1430 hours, Police Operatives attached to the Command and personnels of the Joint Task Force, acting on credible intelligence, carried out a search warrant at the premises of one ‘Lionface,’ identified as a loyalist to the former Youth President of OGBOINBIRI COMMUNITY, Southern Ijaw LGA, Mr. Pere Experience, and the Deputy Paramount Ruler of the community.
“During the operation, the operatives recovered four (4) pump-action guns, three (3) packets of cartridges, and four (4) operational speed boats mounted with engines suspected to have been used for criminal activities along the waterways.
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“Fourteen (14) suspects were arrested in connection with the operation, while efforts are ongoing to arrest the principal suspect, popularly known as ‘Lionface,’ who is currently at large.”
The statement noted that the Commissioner of Police in the State, CP Iyamah Daniel Edebor, commended the operatives for the successful operation and reassured residents of the Command’s commitment to sustaining the ongoing crackdown on criminal elements across the State.
The CP further urged members of the public to continue to support security agencies with timely and useful information that could aid its fight against criminal activities in the State.
