NSCDC Arrests Suspects Who Attacked Petroleum Minister, Kill Civil Defence Officer
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has announced the arrest of 17 suspects who attacked the residence of Minister of State, Petroleum, Lokpobiri Heineken on the 1st of January this year.
The suspects were also allegedly responsible for the January 21, 2025 attack on an NSCDC and Tantita security base in Bayelsa, during which they killed an Assistant Superintendent, Umar Aliyu, and stole a speed boat belonging to Tantita Security Services.
This was made known in a statement issued by NSCDC National Public Relations Officer, Afolabi Babawale.
He stated that the suspects were apprehended on March 6 in Tonogbe, Ekeremo Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, by the NSCDC Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad in a tactically coordinated intelligence operation.
“We mounted a round-the-clock and relentless onslaught against the suspects in collaborations with sisters security agencies and the Tantita Security and succeeded in smashing the 17 deadly Sea pirates led by a notorious vandal, kidnapper and armed robber called Ziakede Amatu, who hails from Norgbene community in Ekeremo, Bayelsa State and has been terrorizing the community and all neighbouring states,” the statement quoted CG’S SIS coordinator, Commandant AS Dandaura, as saying.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the gang, led by Ziakede Amatu, armed with seven Ak47 rifles, has been engaged in illegal refining of petroleum products since 2023 at Abonima in Rivers State.
Ziakede Amatu later migrated from Rivers to Bayelsa State and after a failed attempt to join the Tantita Security Services, procured the Tantita Security Services uniforms to attack oil installations, the NSCDC alleged.
The names of the suspects are Ziakede Amatu, Aaron Ekogbene, Ebimene Adeseotu, Toukekenme Emmanuel Police, Ken David Timiprey, Ekogbene Isaac Pius, Guy Tigan Victor, Timothy Ebibakote, Odebor Abade Joseph, Zikena Kingsley, Kelly Babylon, Dide Tuboukebuleye, ThankGod Ezu, and Godwin Aseyapwayei.
Others are Timis Tokoni, Ken David, Timiprey Ekogbene, Isaac Pius, Guy Tigan Victor, Timothy Ebibakote, Odebor Abade Joseph, Zikena Kingsley, Kelly Babylon, Dide Tuboukebuleye, ThankGod Ezu, Godwin Aseyapwayei and Timis Tokoni.
Exhibits recovered from them include one AK47 Riffle with two empty magazines, charms, and 15 set of Tantita Security uniforms and boots.
