BY  SAMUEL OYADONGHA

The peace of  Biogbolo, a  Yenagoa suburb in Bayelsa State, was, yesterday, shattered when unknown gunmen invaded the area and shot dead ex-militant leader ‘Commander’ Ebi Albert and his driver.

However, his police escort was lucky to have survived the daring broad daylight attack but he was seriously injured and rushed to  hospital.

The incident occurred at about 11 a.m. along the popular Ebi’s Road close to Barath Road junction, Biogbolo some distance away from a military base.

The deceased ex-militant leader of the Nembe Ijaw speaking stock is an indigene of Odioma in Brass local government area of the state.

He was said to be among  the first set of militant leaders to have embraced the Federal Government amnesty programme.

The motive for the attack could not be ascertained but sources told Sunday Vanguard  that his attackers might have been on his trail for some time and decided to take him out yesterday.

The slain ex- militant was said to be going out with his driver and a police escort in a white  Hilux with Rivers plate number RV EY 731 PHC oblivious of the danger ahead as he was being trailed by the armed men in a ash colour car.

According to eye witnesses, the occupants of the ash colour  car, said to be four, on getting close to the junction, drew level with their Hilux and opened fire on it.

Commander Ebi and his driver were reportedly killed on the spot as the Hilux vehicle with a security light mounted on it veered off the road and rammed into a nearby building, destroying a section of the structure.

The mobile police escort, though seriously injured,  escaped with injuries and was rushed to an undisclosed hospital.

 It was further learnt that as sympathizers thronged the scene to catch a glimpse of the victims, a police patrol team stormed the scene and towed away the Hilux vehicle as well as took away the corpses of the deceased persons.

Contacted, the state commissioner of police, Mr. Aliyu Musa, confirmed the incident.

Sunday Vanguard gathered that death of the ex-militant leader brings to five the number of those that have lost their lives in recent times in similar circumstances in Bayelsa.

A group of ex- militant leaders had,  last month, raised the alarm over what they described as   systematic decimation of their members.