Gunmen destroy police station, monarch’s palace in Bonny

Bolaji Ogundele, Port Harcourt - 02.03.2008

IT was terror on Bonny Island at dawn on Saturday when armed hoodlums in two speedboats stormed the island, attacking the palace of the Bonny monarch and destroyed the Marin Police Station located at the island's main jetty.

Sunday Tribune gathered that the armed hoodlums stormed the island at about 5:00am and headed to the palace of the Amanyanabo of Bonny Kingdom, King Edward Asimini Williams Dappa-Pepple III, started a session of free use of fire arms, detonating dynamites occasionally.

According to reports, the hoodlums, who stormed the island in their huge number, secured all routes leading to the palace to ensure that no resident of the palace escaped. They reportedly destroyed a large part of the building.

A source from the island recounted "the attack was rapid and vigorous. They might have come from the waterway while the guards were sleeping. They started shooting immediately they moved into the town.

"It was around 5.am and you know people were still sleeping. So it was difficult to really determine where they came from and how many they were.

"But I can tell you that they hit at the house of the chief very seriously and people were shouting for help which didn't come." The terror was also extended to the homes of some other members of the Bonny council of chiefs. According to a source in Bonny, the hoodlums did not leave without touching other places.

It was when they were leaving that they wrecked havoc on the police station, obviously to deter them from attempting to pursue them.

Only one person, one Ibrahim Mohammed, was reportedly hit in the shooting. He was said to be in a critical state, but had been receiving medical attention. The hoodlums also destroyed vehicles.

When reached for confirmation on the attack, the Police Public Relation Officer of the Rivers police command, Mrs Ireju Barasua, said the command was yet to receive details of the attack.