Operatives of the joint military task force, Operation Delta Safe (OPDS), on Saturday night arrested some youths with guns at a checkpoint at Otakeme community in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

The armed youths were in two Hilux vehicles.

A security source disclosed that the gunmen were thugs of one Kojo Sam, who is working with Chief Timipre Sylva, the APC candidate in the November 11 governorship election in the state.

Both of them have been enmeshed in the crisis rocking the Opu-Nembe (Bassambiri) community in Nembe Local Government Area of the state.

In February this year, at least three persons were killed in the community as a result of the crisis.

A security source informed that the armed thugs attempted to gain entry into Opu-Nembe under the cover of the armed policemen deployed in both Bassambiri and Ogbolomabiri communities on Saturday night, allegedly on the order of the Inspector-General of Police, when they were apprehended by the OPDS personnel at Otakeme.

Another armed group from Rivers and Delta states was also warded off by the OPDS operatives on the waterways in the area.

Some chiefs in the community, however, expressed concern over the role of the IGP in the crisis and have accused him of bias.

They claimed that the IGP had taken sides in the crisis with the Sylva faction.

The chiefs raised the alarm on Saturday night after armed policemen invaded the community in about 19 Hilux vehicles and three Coaster buses.

The raid created panic in the community with several persons said to have been injured while scampering for safety and that one person reportedly shot by a SWAT operative is in critical condition at an undisclosed hospital in Yenagoa.

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