One person died, two others severely injured while yet to be identified thugs attacked faithful of All Progressives Congress (APC) at a rally in Sagbama area of Bayelsa.

A resident in Sagbama Local Government Area who witnessed the incident said that the thugs numbering more than 15 used dangerous weapons to disperse people at the event.

The resident who proffered to be unnamed for fear of being victimised said that the intervention of the police prevented the situation from degenerating further.

“The governor of Bayelsa, who is leader of rival PDP, hails from Sagbama and the place is considered a base of PDP and it is the rivalry that played out and went sour,” the witness said.

DSP Asinim Butswat, Spokesman of Bayelsa Police Command, who confirmed the development on Saturday, said that one of the suspected thugs was arrested.

“On Saturday evening, thugs disrupted APC campaign rally at Tungbabiri, Sagbama Local Government Area, Bayelsa.

His words: “The thugs numbering about 15 disrupted and attacked APC party faithful at a Political rally at Tungbabiri.

“In the ensuing melee, one Braye Embikorobiri of Tungbabiri Community sustained critical injuries and later died.

“Two other victims, names yet unknown were critically injured and are responding to treatment in the hospital.

“One suspect, Mr Isaac Abrowei, 42, from Bolou-Orua, but resident at Tungbabiri has been arrested.

“The thugs who master mind the act and their alleged sponsor have been identified and the Police has launched a manhunt to arrest them.”

Butswat assured that the Bayelsa Police command has mobilise officers to restore normalcy in the community and efforts have been intensified to arrest the fleeing suspects.

Efforts to get the reaction of the Bayelsa APC were futile as Messrs Jothan Amos and Doifie Buokoribo, State Chairman and Spokesman respectively, were unreachable on their mobile phones.

Update news