However, there has been tension in Abavo, Ika South Local Government Area of the state in the past few days following a new oil find in Okpe community.
Some irate villagers, who were protesting the meddlesomeness of some community leaders that encouraged the oil company, Pan Ocean, to start work in the area without properly negotiating with the people, confronted security agents following the shooting of a youth.
State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikechukwu Aduba, who confirmed the arrest to Saturday Vanguard said the criminals invaded the station a day after police raided a den of criminals in Ashaka on grounds that a youth, who escaped the crack-down by jumping into the river was later found dead.
He said police repelled the attack by over 200 hoodlums, adding that investigation was on to track down the fleeing criminals.
Aduba said, “what actually happened is that the criminals are angry that the police raided their hideout where they smoke India hemp and they decided to unleash mayhem on the police under the guise that a youth was shot by the police.”
A source, however, said the deceased youth, Oge, jumped into the river to evade police arrest, but when the police left, his gang unleashed mayhem on members of the anti-cult group in the area, who they alleged, led police officers to their den.
“The corpse of Oge, a kingpin of the group was found the next day, and the group hid under it to attack the police station,” he added.
An official of Ndokwa East Local Government council told Saturday Vanguard, “What we know is that some criminals attacked the Ashaka Police Station without provocation because they claimed that some anti-cult members led policemen to their hideout.”
A villager also told our reporter, yesterday, “four days ago, the police and anti-cult group in Ashaka raided a suspected criminal hideout in Ashaka, back of Ase creek called the Bunk. Criminals usually gather there to smoke Indian hemp.”
“One of the kingpins, Oge, jumped into the river and was not seen until the next day when his corpse floated. Therefore, the criminals organized and attacked the police station. It took the intervention of policemen and soldiers from other parts of the two Ndokwa local governments and soldiers to overpower them”.
“They, however, succeeded in destroying louvres of the police station before they were overcome,” he added.
On the Abavo incident, Commissioner Aduba said the police were investigating the alleged shooting of a youth by a security agent.
A source said the problem emanated because some powerful persons in Abavo conspired to deprive the Okpe community from having any dealing with Pan Ocean Oil Company whereas oil was found it its domain.
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