Gunmen suspected to be militants launched a deadly ambush on officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) on Friday in Bayelsa State. The attack occurred as the officers were returning from an operation targeting illegal oil bunkering camps in the Igbomotoru community, located in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.
According to local sources, the NSCDC patrol team was navigating back through the waterways after their operation when the armed group struck. The assailants, believed to be connected to oil theft syndicates in the region, reportedly opened fire near the Koluama creeks — a location known for its history of illegal crude oil activities and militancy.
Witnesses described the attack as sudden and aggressive, with the gunmen allegedly using high-powered firearms. One NSCDC officer was killed during the exchange of gunfire. His identity had not been officially released as of the time of this report. Other members of the patrol team were injured and have since been taken to a medical facility in Yenagoa, the state capital, where they are receiving treatment.
Community members say tension has been growing in the area in recent months, mainly due to increased bunkering operations and the presence of criminal groups. Igbomotoru’s riverine environment has made it a hotspot for such illegal activities, making security operations both risky and complicated.
Just a week before the ambush, suspected vandals blew up a major pipeline belonging to Oando PLC — the Ogboinbiri/Obiobi 24-inch gas pipeline that runs between Angiama and Angiamagbene. This pipeline is a key supply route to the NLNG facility in Bonny, Rivers State.
