Two NSCDC officers arrested for killing boat owner

Bayelsa State Police Command on Tuesday confirmed the arrest of two officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps over their alleged involvement in the killing of Mr. Akunama Agunza, 25-year-old boat owner in the state.

The police authorities said though the arrested NSCDC officials had not been handed over to the police for interrogation, the accused were alleged to have conspired with some other unidentified persons in the incident that led to the arrest and drowning of the boat owner.

It was learnt that the deceased was allegedly arrested over his attempt to secure the release of his wooden boat impounded by the illegal oil bunkering task force set up by the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.

Agunza was also said to have hired out his boat to some youths but the boat was used for illegal oil bunkering and got impounded.

It was further learnt that an attempt by the boat owner to secure the release of the boat led to his death in a controversial circumstance.

Spokesman for the deceased family, Silas Okiri, said the case was reported to Oporoma Police Station after the family discovered the decomposing body of the Agunza along the Ofonigbene River in Southern Ijaw.

Okiri, who is the elder brother of the deceased, accused the two NSCDC personnel of complicity, stressing that they were unable to tell the family the whereabouts of the deceased while his mobile phones and boat were in their custody.

Reacting to the incident, Public Relations Officer, Bayelsa Police Command, Mr. Alex Akhigbe, confirmed the development.

Akhigbe said investigation was on-going into the circumstances surrounding the death of the boat owner.

He, however, said with the arrest of two NSCDC personnel, a new twist had been added to to the incident.

He said, “Two families are laying claims to the corpse of the deceased. While the other family is claiming it was their brother, another family came up to say it was their missing son found floating in the river. We are investigating.”


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