Asinim Butswat
lightning kills eight-year-old boy in Bayelsa
An eight-year-old boy has been reportedly killed by lightning in the oil-rich Imiringi community in Ogbia local government area, Bayelsa State. The victim, identified as Stephen Akanam, a native of the nearby Kolo community, according to sources, was residing with his aunty at Imiringi. He was reportedly struck by lightning Wednesday evening during rainfall while playing football with his mates in an open field behind a popular bar in the area. A source who spoke anonymously said such an incident had never happened before in the community. The deceased, according to a source, was indoors all through the afternoon until the evening when he went out to play. ”A woman rushed to the house to tell us that our brother is dead. I could not believe it and rushed to the scene. “Upon sighting him on...
One dead, others injured in Bayelsa cult clash
Tebogo Letsie/Associated Press The Bayelsa Police Command on Tuesday, confirmed the death of a suspected cultist during a clash by two rival cult groups in the state capital, Yenagoa. A spokesman for the Police in Bayelsa, Asinim Butswat, a Superintendent of Police, told newsmen that one person was killed during the clash which left many injured in the Obele area of the state capital. Narrating the incident, Butswat said, “The clash took place in Down Yenagoa. It was a rival cult clash that claimed the life of one person. “We cannot establish the cult groups that were involved until after arrests might have been made, as an investigation is ongoing,” he said. Butswat added that the corpse of the person had been recovered and deposited at a morgue. A resident of Obele, who preferred anonymi...
Bayelsa governor promises to investigate youth’s ‘death’ during police operation
The governor of Bayelsa, Douye Diri, has ordered an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of a youth on Thursday, in Ovom community, Yenagoa Local Government Area (LGA), of the state. Newsmen gathered from residents of the area that the young man was allegedly shot by a policeman, at Ovom surburb. Mr Diri gave the directive on Thursday, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, after being briefed about the incident in Uyo, where he is attending a state cabinet retreat. He also directed that an autopsy be carried out to determine the cause of death. The governor promised that the government would ensure perpetrators of the dastardly act are uncovered and brought to book. “Human life is sacred. As a responsible government, we would not shy away from o...
Police nab two Bayelsa university students with gun
The Bayelsa State Police Command has arrested two students of the state-owned Niger Delta University (NDU) for unlawful possession of a revolver pistol and cultism. A statement on Wednesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Asinim Butswat, identified the two NDU undergraduates as Joshua Daniel and Kevin Are. While Daniel is a 300-level student of the Department of Economics, Are is a 200-level student of the Mechanical Engineering Department. Butswat said the suspects were picked up with their gun on Tuesday at the jetty in the university town of Amassoma, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state. According to him, the two of them confessed to be members of the Vikings Confraternity, a secret cult. He said they would be arraigned in court when investigation was concluded. ...
Gunmen attack Bayelsa community
Unknown gunmen on Friday attacked the Ogila-ama community in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. The armed men, who stormed the coastal community in three speed boats, shot sporadically before setting some buildings on fire. The incident was said to have caused panic and confusion as the residents of Ogila-ama fled into the bush. Reports quoted a native of the community, Bolouikie Ogoro, as saying that he received phone calls from his sister and some others informing him of the armed invasion. According to him, the armed arsonists operated in three speed boats and fired gunshots indiscriminately to ward off any resistance before going for the targeted houses that they razed down. It could not be immediately ascertained if any life was lost even as no group had claimed...
