Chaos continue to escalate in Bayelsa State’s Southern Ijaw Local Government Area as gunmen, believed to be militants, ambushed a patrol team from the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in the Igbomotoru community. The deadly assault, which occurred on Friday, claimed the life of one officer whose identity has yet to be made public.

According to reports from community sources cited by Daily Trust, the NSCDC operatives were returning from an anti-illegal bunkering operation when their patrol boat was attacked near the volatile Koluama creeks—an area notorious for oil theft, illegal refining activities, and militant presence.

The gunmen, reportedly armed with high-powered weapons, opened fire on the security team in what has been described as a carefully coordinated ambush. The attack is suspected to have been orchestrated by pipeline vandalism syndicates and other criminal elements threatened by the Corps’ crackdown on illegal oil operations in the region.

One NSCDC officer was fatally shot during the firefight and later died from his injuries. Several other members of the team sustained varying degrees of injury and are currently receiving medical treatment in Yenagoa, the state capital.

The incident underscores the growing insecurity in the riverine parts of Bayelsa, where illegal bunkering has surged in recent months. The Igbomotoru community, surrounded by creeks and waterways, has become a hotspot for criminal operations due to its difficult terrain and limited state presence.

Just a week prior, suspected vandals targeted the Ogboinbiri/Obiobi 24-inch gas pipeline, a major installation owned by Oando Plc that supplies gas to the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) plant in Bonny, Rivers State. The attack raised alarm over the vulnerability of critical energy infrastructure in the region.

It is also worth noting that Igbomotoru has previously been the subject of military interest. Last year, troops stormed the community in a bid to apprehend a militant leader accused of orchestrating the brutal killing of 17 soldiers in Okuama, Delta State, a crime that shocked the nation.

When contacted for comment, the spokesperson of the NSCDC in Bayelsa State, Solomon Ogbere, confirmed the attack but noted that he was still awaiting a full situational report.

“Sincerely speaking, we’ve received the information, but I am still waiting for the Officer-in-Charge (OC) to provide a comprehensive briefing. You’re not far from the truth, but I can’t speak definitively until I have all the details. By tomorrow (Monday), I should be in a better position to provide the full account, including the number of casualties,” he stated.

The latest incident has reignited calls for enhanced security patrols and better intelligence coordination in the Niger Delta to protect both lives and critical national assets from criminal exploitation.