How Militant group killed eight pirates, kidnappers in Bayelsa

The Niger Delta Revolutionary Council, NDRC, a militant group in the Niger Delta region, clashed with a gang of sea pirates and kidnappers at Azuzuama, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, leaving eight leaders of the pirates, including the leader, “General Thunder,” dead.

The group claimed that its strike force invaded the den of the sea robbery gang and engaged the members in a gun battle.

Police Public Relations Officer, Bayelsa State Command, Asinam Butswsat, who was contacted by Vanguard over the development, yesterday, said on phone,  that the police were not aware of the incident.

Spokesperson of NDRC, W.O. I. Izon Ebi, who confirmed the shootout, said: “About 11 p.m.,  on Saturday, the gallant strike force of the NDRC gunned down ‘General’ Thunder and his criminal gang of sea pirates and kidnappers that abducted the kinsmen of PANDEF leader, HRM Alfred Diete Spiff.

“NDRM stormed their hideout at Azuzuama and killed the eight-man gang that specialized in dehumanizing distinguished personalities of the region with their criminal activities.  We are using this medium to warn all criminals in Southern Ijaw council and Bayelsa State at large to turn a new leaf, as ill-treatment and kidnapping of distinguished citizens of the state will not be accepted any more in Ijawland. There will be no hiding place for criminals,” he added.

On why the NDRC invaded the den, he said, “We only stormed their hideout with the support of their drug supplier, popularly known as Italian Colombus. The only one we can identify is ‘General’ Thunder and the young man that was the second-in-command to Young Shall Grow that killed the policemen during Young Shall Grow’s mother’s burial, who is presently in jail.”

On the identities of the pirates that were killed, he said: “To be frank, we did not have the time to start identifying them as we had got our target, ‘General’ Thunder.”

It was gathered that one Chief Eugene Alexander was abducted by the sea pirates on January 14, but when his brothers, Highness Ebiye William- Sinteh and Frank Charles-Sinteh went with the ransom demanded by the group on February 9, the gangsters collected the ransom and abducted the two brothers.

[Amaize/Vanguard]