Fear has gripped Bayelsa communities as the Defence Headquarters (DHQ)declared eight individuals wanted over the killing of 17 officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army in Okuoma, Ughelli South local government area of Delta State.

The DHQ shared this on Thursday morning on its official X handle, with photographs of the wanted suspects.

Sharing on X, DHQ wrote, “ATTENTION!!! The following persons are hereby declared wanted.”

See post below:

On Sunday, furious soldiers from the Nigerian Army invaded Igbomotoru, an Ijaw community in Bayelsa State searching for the alleged ringleader, but their efforts proved unsuccessful.

Okuoma, the centre of the wanton killing, was regarded as the suspect’s maternal community.

Although the suspect, acting on a tip-off, fled the community before the arrival of the troops, the invasion left in its trail large-scale destruction of life and property.

No fewer than 11 indigenes of the community are feared dead in the incident.

The suspect was linked to the campaigns and re-election of Governor Douye Diri in the recent gubernatorial election in the state.

The chairman of Southern Ijaw local government area, Mr. Lucky Okodeh, a sibling of the wanted suspect, was said to have been under surveillance by detectives seeking information to nab the suspect.