Sea pirates attack military checkpoint, kill 3 soldiers

Suspected sea bandits on Monday attacked a military checkpoint at Tombi waterside in Nembe, a coastal community in Bayelsa East Senatorial district, Bayelsa State, allegedly killing three soldiers.

Vanguard gathered that the pirates, who caught the soldiers unawares struck at about 10.00 am. They made away with a gunboat belonging to the military and two K2 rifles.

The incident caused panics in the coastal enclave, as the natives their homes for fear of reprisal by the military.

They stormed the checkpoint in an SUV and opened fire on the soldiers, carting away their arms. While some fled with the vehicle on land route, others disappeared into the creeks with the gunboat.

A villager, who spoke to Vanguard on phone, said that shortly after the attack, he saw a military fighter jet hovering around the area.

The motive of the attackers was not immediately clear, but the area was under attack between August 2015 and April 2016, resulting in loss of personnel and cache of arms

Sources hinted that the military reinforced security and took over the waterways to Nembe to checkmate the criminals. Soldiers also cordoned off the uncompleted Ogbia-Nembe road project jointly sponsored by SPDC and NDDC.
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As at the time of this report, the state Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (retd) had left Yenagoa for Nembe the scene of the attack.

Attempt to the get comment from authorities of the Joint Military Task Force, Operation Delta Safe proved abortive, as phone calls to the spokesperson, Lt. Col Daudu, did not connect.