20-year-old cadet shot dead by gunmen in Bayelsa

YENAGOA—ANGERED by the killing of a military cadet by suspected cultists while trying to rescue a victim of armed robbery attack, weekend, at the Ovom suburb of Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, scores of women, yesterday, took to the streets to protest what they described as the rising cult related killings/crime in the state capital.

The deceased cadet, identified as Enoch Saviour, aged 23, was a resident of Ovom. He was said to be on holiday in Yenagoa from the military institution. The aggrieved women, who staged a peaceful protest from the Ovom area to the Swali axis of the state capital, called on the Police and the state government to stem the frequent cases of violent attacks, rapes, armed robberies and killings by young boys suspected to be members of dangerous cult groups in the state capital.

A security source, who confirmed the incident, said though some arrest had been made, the Police have commenced manhunt for others involved in the incident. The killing, it was gathered occurred on Saturday night about 8 p.m., triggered panic in the area. It was gathered that the deceased, was on the street chatting with his visiting friend and a Naval Rating with one of the military formations in Yenagoa, when they heard screams from a victim whose bag was snatched by suspected cultists.

The deceased, who was a resident of the area, was said to have responded to the distress call and pursued the suspect. But unknown to him, the other members of the cult group had laid ambush to wade off any resistance. “The other members of the gang closed up from the side and shot the cadet at close range. Immediately they shot him, they all disappeared amidst the pandemonium created.

The Naval Rating escaped being hit by the armed cultists.” It was also gathered that the aggrieved indigenes of Ovom community have resolved to work with the Nigeria Police to identify every known cultist in the area. “Though we are not happy it occurred to the military cadet, who many of them loved, the decision to work with the Police is welcomed. In the past, they covered up these boys, now it is time to identify and arrest them,” a security source said.