Bayelsa boat accident: Police recover six bodies

In a statement issued Sunday afternoon, the Command said it regretted “to announce the recovery of the bodies of policemen who went missing after a boat mishap.”

“The unfortunate incident occurred on Friday, December 4, 2020, when one of the speedboats conveying eleven Policemen from Yenagoa to Southern Ijaw capsized at Oporoma. Five of the Policemen were rescued immediately, while six were missing,” the police statement added.

According to the release, a combined team of rescue officers from the Marine Department of the Bayelsa State Police Command and local divers recovered the six bodies of the missing policemen, which had been deposited at the mortuary.

The statement endorsed by the Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Asinim Butswat, a Superintendent of Police, SP, said rue that police authorities condoled with the families of the deceased, just as it added that the investigation had commenced to ascertain the cause of the boat mishap.

Meanwhile, Governor Douye Diri has expressed deep condolences with the Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu, over the loss of some of the force’s personnel that drowned while escorting voting materials for last Saturday’s senatorial bye-election in the state.

Governor Diri, who also condoled with the families of the deceased policemen, said in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Daniel Alabrah, on Sunday, that their sudden demise while on national duty was very painful.

While describing the incident as unfortunate, he prayed to God to give the police boss and the families of the policemen the strength to bear the great loss.

Governor Diri, however, commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the smooth and fast process it put in place for the election.

The governor, who voted at his hometown in Sampou Ward 7 Unit 4 accompanied by his wife, Gloria Diri, said INEC’s decision of having accreditation and voting simultaneously saved time and energy.

“The process was faster and even more smooth. The card reader identified me as soon as my voter’s card was slotted in.

“So I can describe the process as smooth, fast and peaceful. Certainly, the simultaneous accreditation and voting enhanced the process rather than waiting for hours before coming back to vote. I think this decision of taking them at the same time is far better than what we used to do,” he said.