Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
YENAGOA, Nigeria – The Bayelsa State Police Command, in a well‑coordinated joint operation with the military Joint Task Force (JTF), has arrested 14 suspects linked to a violent intra‑communal clash that left one person dead and several buildings, including the traditional ruler’s palace, reduced to ashes in the remote coastal town of Ogboinbiri. The operation, which targeted the creeks and waterways of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, also resulted in the seizure of a small arsenal of pump‑action rifles, ammunition, and a flotilla of four high‑powered speedboats believed to have been used by the militia group to enforce its reign of terror across the oil‑rich creeks.
The arrests, confirmed on Monday by Police Public Relations Officer DSP Musa Mohammed, mark the most significant enforcement action since the crisis erupted on April 28, 2026. The violence was triggered by a dispute over stolen metal electric poles, which pitted a Youth President, Mr. Experience Pere, against a community member named Maxwell. The accusation led to a chain reaction: the youth leader’s supporters went on a rampage, destroying homes of the Paramount Ruler, His Royal Highness Okosughe Eseimokumo. In a retaliatory attack, a young man identified only as Ifolo was fatally struck on the head with a bottle during an assault on the royal family’s supporters, dying at the Ogboinbiri Cottage Hospital.
The crisis quickly escalated, prompting Governor Douye Diri to sack the entire traditional leadership, including the Paramount Ruler, and impose a strict dusk‑to‑dawn curfew to stem the tide of violence and arson. Now, the security forces have moved to dismantle the militia infrastructure that kept the community under siege.
Acting on actionable intelligence, the security team executed a search warrant at the premises of a prime suspect identified only as ‘Lionface’ on May 10 at about 2:30 p.m. According to police statements, Lionface is described as a loyalist to the former Youth President, Mr. Pere Experience, and an associate of the Deputy Paramount Ruler. During the raid, security operatives recovered a significant cache of weaponry, including four pump‑action guns and three packets of live cartridges.
Beyond the small arms, the operation also struck at the logistical nerve center of the militia. The troops impounded four operational speedboats, fully mounted with engines. The watercraft are suspected to have been used for criminal activities along the treacherous inland waterways, which serve as the primary transport and escape routes in the mangrove forest region. The use of speedboats for militia activities has historically allowed armed groups to evade capture by moving swiftly across state lines and into the Atlantic.
The principal suspect, Lionface, remains at large, evading the initial dragnet. The Police High Command has, however, declared a determined manhunt for him, vowing to bring him to justice. The 14 suspects taken into custody are currently undergoing interrogation to ascertain their roles in the arson and the killing.
Commissioner of Police Iyamah Daniel Edebor has praised the operatives for their professional conduct and the success of the mission. He reassured residents of the state that the Command remains resolute in flushing out criminal elements and would not allow the sanctity of the creeks to be used as a launchpad for violence. He also appealed to the public to continue sharing useful information with security agencies as the crackdown on organized crime in the southern Ijaw axis intensifies.
The government’s response has been total. Beyond the police dragnet, Governor Diri has moved to permanently dismantle the structures that allowed the violence to fester. He has dissolved the entire traditional council, sacked the youth body, and dissolved the Community Development Committee (CDC). This is the toughest administrative action taken against a community in the state in recent years, signaling that political and traditional protection for militia leaders will no longer be tolerated.
The arrest of 14 suspects and the seizure of their riverine arsenal have brought a fragile calm to Ogboinbiri. But as the sun sets over the creeks, the hunt for ‘Lionface’ continues, and the community holds its breath, hoping that this time, the kingpin does not slip through the net.
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