Hoodlums purportedly loyal to Opu-Nembe youth president, Mr. Moses Ayerite, equipped with sophisticated and other dangerous weapons, disregarded police presence Monday evening and attacked journalists who had gone to examine the situation in Opu-Nembe, Nembe Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.
Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, the Inspector-General of Police, had dispatched a special team of Police Mobile Force (PMF) and Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) to execute a sting operation on Saturday, which resulted in the arrest of eight individuals and the recovery of a cache of weaponry.
The journalists attacked are Joseph Kunde of TVC and his cameraman, Bina Miebi; Awe Baratuapere of NTA and his cameraman, Ayebakuro Egein; Iniyekenime Doctor Bruce of Daar Communications; and Femi Folaranmi of The Sun.
Before the deployment of the Police from the Force headquarters, the journalists were brought around to view the properties of several exiled Chiefs demolished by some community youngsters.
Trouble arose, however, when the crew was at the last demolished building belonging to the regent and were attacked by boys armed with sophisticated and lethal weaponry.
Journalists took refuge in various houses during the chaos and had to wait for the Police team to rescue them.
It took the valiant efforts of the police officers, commanded by Unit Commander Mr. Silas, to engage the hoodlums and save some of the journalists.
Mr. Silas led a team of Policemen to liberate Mr. Kunde and bring him to the Police station, and his photographer, Mr. Miebi, whose camera and phones had been taken and whose shirt had been shredded and used to bind his hands and legs, was also saved by the Police team.
Mrs. Iniyekenime of DAAR Communications, who had also been stripped of her camera and phones and was taking cover in a house in the adjacent Ogbolomabiri community, was the last journalist to be rescued and was brought to the Police base.
Mr. Egein of NTA was left behind because the landlord of the house where he was sheltering indicated he was secure but could only depart in the morning due to the hoodlums.
At around 12.30 a.m., the Police squad commanded by Mr. Silas in six Hilux vans successfully escorted the journalists out of the village.
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