Indigenes of the Otuan community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State have been thrown into mourning following the crushing to death of a father and his eight years old daughter by military escort gunboats along the waterways of the community.
The incident, which occurred at about 4pm on Friday last week, happened when two gunboats which were on escort duty with two other speedboats suspected to belong to workers of Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), ran over a canoe used by the deceased and his daughter for fishing expedition in the area.
Community sources confirmed that the deceased eight-year old girl, identified as Ebimoboere Dupree was on holiday with her father, identified as Doupere Chukwu Doupre before the sad incident.
A source identified as Sunny, confirmed that while the search for the Corpse of the drowned father is still on, the corpse of the deceased girl has been discovered by community divers.
“The incident occurred on the 12th August 2016. They were two gunboats and two speed boats coming from Ogboinbiri to Oporoma axis. The deceased father and daughter were in the fishing boat along Otuan entrance by the River Nun. The military boats and the speed boat conveying Shell workers were reportedly heading to the oil facilities in Ogboinbiri with food and other logistics supply,” the source said.
Contacted on the development, the spokesman of the State Police Command, Asimin Butswat said though the report has not been brought to his attention, “we will investigate and get back to you.”
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