Two youths from Okolobiri community in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State have drowned in a creek in the community as they attempted to evade arrest by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
The deceased, one Diepreye Diete and an unnamed youth, were said to have jumped into the Taylor Creek in Okolobiri when they sighted the NDLEA operatives that had gone on a raid of red zones in the area.
A similar scenario occurred in the community about two months ago, precisely on January 25, when two youths – Meipor Ebinimias and his unnamed friend in an attempt to escape arrest jumped into a river and drowned.
Ebinimias and his friend were said to be smoking away when operatives of the state security outfit, codenamed Operation Doo Akpo, stormed their hideout.
Not wanting to be caught in the act, Ebinimias and his friend jumped into the river where they met their waterloo – they drowned.
As for the current development, it was learnt that the incident took place on March 26, few days to the presidential election.
It was further learnt that when the operatives, who came in four trucks, stormed their hideout, the cannabis smoking youths, numbering over 15, took to their heels.
They were said to have dashed into a nearby creek in attempt to evade arrest by swimming across to a neighbouring community, Obanagha.
Our correspondent gathered that while 13 other youths were able to swim across to Obunagha, the two deceased were unfortunate as they drowned in the river.
The corpses of the Diepreye and the other person were said to be retrieved by community members as they floated on the creek.
An indigene of the community, identified simply as Piriye, said the two deceased youths, were suspected to be smoking cannabis inside an open building when the incident occurred.
Piriye said, “The youths usually gathered at the place to smoke hard drugs. Community members had in the past alerted the police on the activities of these youths and accused them of using the community to commit violent crimes in the state capital.
“Few days to the presidential election, youths were gathered as usual and on sighting the patrol vehicle they panicked and jumped into the Taylor creek. But unknown to them, that part of the river was shallow replete with dangerous objects. They must have hit their heads on those objects.
Another indigene, who claimed to be a relative of Diepreye, Mr. Panebi Jones, confirmed the incident.
He said Diepreye was an undegraduate of the state-owned Niger Delta University, Amassoma.
Though he condemned the use of illicit drugs by youths, he, however, condemned the drug agency for not making any attempt to save the drowning youths for onward prosecution.
Jones, who said he was going to petition the agency for unprofessionalism, said, “It is true the incident occurred. It happenned precisely a few days to the presidential election. That was the second time the incident was taking place in the area.
“The group of boys who were involved in smoking weeds, ended up in fear of arrest, wanted to escape through the river.
“They NDLEA did not make any arrest. Two of the boys drowned while others escaped. We want to call on the NDLEA that if they are fighting drug cartel or users, they should also try to save them and not allowing them to die. They should have rescued and arrested them. The essence of pursuit is to arrest, incidentally, they did not make any arrest. The two incidents, there was no single arrest. So, the aim of going there was defeated.”
Jones, who said the use of drug was not a death sentence, urged the agency to always strive for arrest instead of allowing their victims to die. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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