Residents of Amarata area of Yenagoa, Baylesa State, were thrown into pandemonium on Tuesday evening following the brutal murder of an Assistant Superintendent of Police and a woman.
The woman was hit by stray bullets following the attack on the police personnel.
The officer, Mathew Akpos, was murdered by gunmen close to OMPADEC school field in Amarata area of the state capital, witnesses said.
The victim, who was said to have served at Ologbobiri, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state, was shot dead around 6pm on Tuesday.
Witnesses said that stray bullets fired by the attackers struck and killed the woman, who was a petty trader in the neighbourhood.
The woman died at the Federal Medical Centre.
“The gunmen dressed like a special police squad,” one witness said. “They were clad in the outfits of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad and police bulletproof vests.”
Another witness said the gunmen drove into the community in a black Hilux van and accosted their target.
“There were stacatto of gunshots all over the place. I was at a supermarket directly opposite the scene of the incident. The way they drove into the community was suspicious and sent panic waves all over the place.
“The gunshots caused panic in the area as people, even youths, who were playing football, abandoned the game and scampered for safety,” the witness said.
Another source had a slightly different version of the story.
He said the gunmen trailed the victim to the area and wanted to force him into their vehicle.
The source claimed that while Mr. Akpos was being dragged into the car, he resisted his assailants and in the process pulled out his service pistol and fired at the gunmen.
“One of the gunmen who was standing close to the Hilux van immediately pulled out his gun and shot the victim.
“They later lifted his body into their vehicle and zoomed off,” the source said.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Bayelsa State Command, Asinim Butswat, (ASP) said information at the disposal of the command was still sketchy.
He said investigations were ongoing to know what actually happened.