A bloody clash between suspected thugs loyal to the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party has claimed the lives of three persons in Bayelsa State.
The incident reportedly occurred on Monday in the Brass Local Government Area of the state.
One of the persons killed was identified as the spokesman for the umbrella body of Ijaw youths, the Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide in the area.
Different versions have emerged as to the cause of deaths of the three persons.
Some PDP supporters claimed that the death of the three persons occurred during an alleged failed attempt to assassinate the Caretaker Chairman, Brass LGA, Mr Victor Isaiah.
But some supporters of the APC claimed that over 10 suspected gunmen allegedly hired from the neighbouring Odioma community attacked the area.
They claimed that the attackers were challenged by the indigenes of the community and some members of the IYC before they were attacked with machetes and guns.
They said during the attack, three persons died.
However, a source from the community, simply identified as Charles, alleged that the killers, who were suspected to be hired PDP thugs, were allegedly housed at the LGA chairman’s lodge before and after the clash.
He said, “The whole incident started on August 15 with the attack on the IYC chairman in Brass. The attackers and their PDP supporters were chased out of the town but the chiefs and elders pleaded that they be allowed back to town through the town criers.
“On Monday morning, some boys numbering about 10, were noticed to have entered the town through Odioma. They headed for the Imbikiri part of the town and were challenged by the IYC boys and the APC. The suspected thugs opened fire on them. They also inflicted machete cuts on others.”
It was learnt that the council chairman’s lodge is close to the Divisional Headquarters of the police in the area.
It was further learnt that attempts by the Divisional Police Officer in the area to dislodge the fighters allegedly gave undue advantage to the unidentified gunmen from Odioma.
A post from one of the supporters of the PDP in Brass monitored on Victor Isaiah’s Facebook page indicated that the clash was allegedly due to provocation from some APC youths following an attack on the Special Adviser on Youths Matters to the council’s chairman.
“A few days ago, some suspected armed APC youths attacked the LGA chair’s aide and the PDP youths. Now they attempted to assassinate the caretaker chairman of the council,” the poster indicated.
