Gunboat allegedly crushes four cops, David Lyon’s brother to death in Bayelsa

Etinum Ogunde, Yenagoa

Gunboat on patrol duty has allegedly crushed four cops and an official of DSSS, identified as Odi Lyon, to death in Bayelsa State.

Lyon is said to be a younger brother of the former governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief David Lyon, in the November 2019 governorship election in the state.

He was said to be the Operations Manager of the oil surveillance firm in the Southern Ijaw community of Olugbobiri.

It was gathered that the unfortunate incident happened between Okumugbene and Odewari river near Korokorosei junction.

A source told our correspondent that the boat was heading to Korokorosei when the accident occurred.

It was also learnt that another aide to David Lyon, identified simply as Ogbojimo, was lucky to have survived the unfortunate incident.

He revealed that one of the corpses of the policemen has reportedly been recovered while the three riot policemen were still declared missing.

It was learnt that the recovered policeman reportedly swam to the shore but died sadly before he could get to the clinic at Olugbobiri.

Sources said the incident occurred in the early hours of Wednesday.

They claimed that the boat conveying the four mobile policemen, the younger brother of David Lyon, a Governor’s aide with a 200-horsepower engine was said to have stopped for a yet-to-be ascertained reason when the gunboat allegedly rammed into them.

It could not be ascertained if the gunboat mistook the occupants of the boat for pirates who had been disturbing the area in recent times.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Bayelsa State Command, Mr Asinim Butswat, confirmed the boat accident but said one policeman died while three others were still missing.

Butswat said: “On 25 July 2022, at about 2000 hours, a boat conveying policeman on surveillance capsized at Korokorosei waterways, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

“One policeman’s body was recovered while three are missing. The command is yet to establish the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate incident. Divers have been deployed to the area for possible rescue of the missing persons.”