…As natives flee
…no cause for alarm, Bayelsa govt assures indigenes

By Samuel Oyadongha

NDORO, a coastal settlement in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State has been deserted following the alleged killing of a security operative.

The deceased said to be an intelligence personnel, whose identity could not be immediately ascertained was reportedly beheaded by suspected militants.

The incident which occurred Wednesday afternoon, according to sources, triggered pandemonium in the coastal settlement as many of the natives fled their homes for fear of the unknown.

It was gathered that hoodlums killed their victim, severed off the head, marched into the community before retreating to their hideout in the mangrove swamp.

Though it could not be confirmed, it was also learned that the hoodlums abducted a civilian that accompanied the slain security personnel on a routine duty in the area.

As at press time, sources told Saturday Vanguard that armed soldiers backed by gunboats have been deployed in the community.

Contacted on the development, spokesman of the Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta codenamed Operation  Delta Safe, Major Ibrahim Abdullahi declined to comment but promised to make enquiry and get back but never did.

A security source who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed the gruesome killing but was silent on the identity of the victim.

Meantime, the state government while reacting to the heightened tension in the coastal enclave said there was no cause for alarm and called on members of Ndoro community who fled their homes to return as “everything is now under control.”