Yenagoa – The Bayelsa government has condoled with the Chief of Army Staff, Maj.- Gen. Tukur Buratai, and the families of the five military personnel killed by unknown gunmen in the state.
A statement issued by Mr Daniel Iworiso-Markson, the Chief Press Secretary to the Bayelsa governor, on Sunday expressed regrets over the killings.
It assured the army that the state government would partner with the security agencies to arrest the perpetrators of the dastardly act, stressing that they would be pursued and brought to justice.
The statement condemned the attack on the nation’s security agencies, describing it as “mindless and most barbaric”.
It said that a letter personally signed by Gov. Seriake Dickson had been dispatched to the army chief to express the heartfelt condolences of the government and people of the state.
The governor in the letter also assured the families of the slain officers that their loved ones and benefactors did not die in vain, noting that they died as gallant officers while in active service to their fatherland.
The state government, however, urged the people not to despair, saying that the government would do everything within its powers to stem the new wave of insecurity.
“All these acts of insecurity and brigandage are intended to put fear in the minds of the people ahead of the December 2015 governorship election and we call on the people to remain steadfast and law abiding.
“As a government, we worked so hard and committed a lot of our resources to achieve the peace we have been enjoying and it is sad to observe that because of their political ambitions, some persons want to perpetuate violence, brigandage and insecurity in the state,” Dickson had said
The statement quoted him as calling on the people of Bayelsa to collectively condemn and reject the emerging trend of violence and insecurity in parts of the state, warning that everyone would be affected if it was left unchecked.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the police in Bayelsa on Saturday confirmed that an attack on Nember Jetty by armed gunmen suspected to be pirates left four security men dead.
The police said that the base of the joint military task force in Nembe, Bayelsa came under attack on Friday night.
The slain operatives were, until their death, attached to the taskforce in the Niger Delta, code-named Operation Pulo Shield.
