There was pandemonium on Wednesday when a group of armed cultists attacked the Divisional Headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force in Oporoma, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State to free one of their members from detention.

The cultists reportedly stormed the station fully prepared after one of their member was shot dead by the officer on guard while trying to break out another member from the police cell.

The incident was confirmed by the state’s police command spokesman, DSP Asinim Butswat.

Butswat said,

“report indicate that a suspected cultist who was on Police wanted list for various heinous crimes such as; Kidnapping, sea robbery, armed robbery, and acts of pipeline vandalism, was arrested and detained at the Oporoma Police Division, Southern Ijaw LGA, preparatory to be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Intelligence Department (SCIID), Yenagoa.

“The suspect on 21 March, 2018, attempted to escape from lawful custody and was shot by the Police officer on duty. Other members of the suspect cult group mobilized and attacked officers on duty at the Police Division and set it ablaze. Additional Policemen were deployed to restore normalcy in the community.

“There seems to be emergence of cases cultism in Bayelsa State, we call on members of the public to volunteer useful information and to assist the police in curbing the ugly trend of cultism among our teeming youths.”

 

The Arch convener of an NGO, Patriotism Advancement and Community Orientation Network, Comrade Aluzu Ebikebuna Augustine, who also confirmed the incident said it threw the community into chaos.

See photos of the attack below: