Sorrow as 6 police officers drown in Southern Ijaw River during Bayelsa bye-election

The nation was thrown into sorrow on the eve of Saturday Senatorial bye-election in Bayelsa State, when six personnel of the Nigeria Police Force drowned in the Southern Ijaw River.

The officers were confirmed dead after a boat conveying them to Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state capsized.

They were traveling there on election security duties.

The Bayelsa State Police Command’s Spokesperson, Asinim Butswat, on Sunday, reportedly confirmed that the bodies of the six officers have been recovered.

It was said that 11 policemen were on board the boat that capsized.

Bye-elections are currently holding in 11 states across the country, covering six senatorial districts and nine state constituencies.

While Lagos and Cross River are the only states where both senatorial and state assembly elections are being conducted, the other nine states are either holding senatorial or assembly elections.

INEC had postponed the elections earlier scheduled for October 31, following the #EndSARS protests and other security and environmental challenges.