Two Soldiers Killed, Three Injured in Gun Duel With Pirates in Rivers, Bayelsa Border

• Militans abduct four telecom workers, kill three cops, two others in Lagos

Okrika, NIGERIA: Masked Ateke Tom militants hold their guns as they arrive at their camp, 13 April 2007, in Okrika, Rivers State. Ateke Tom is the leader of the Niger Delta Vigilante, an ethnic Ijaw militia in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Many militant groups in the delta say they are fighting for the control of government oil wells. Five people, including a senior police officer, were killed in clashes between rival cult gangs in southern Nigeria’s oil-rich state of Rivers, the police said today. AFP PHOTO / LIONEL HEALING (Photo credit should read LIONEL HEALING/AFP/Getty Images)

The Nigerian military on Thursday suffered yet another loss in its fight against criminalities in the oil-rich Niger Delta, following the killing of two of its soldiers in the creeks around the boundary between Rivers and Bayelsa States.

During the exchange of gunfire, it was learnt that three soldiers also sustained severe injuries and are currently receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital.

Military authorities operating under the Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe, disclosed that the deceased operatives were responding to a distress call that pirates were raiding commuters along the waterways of Ijawkiri, a community bordering both states.

They reportedly came under heavy fire during a rescue operation to free the traders from the pirates, resulting in the death of the two soldiers and injuries to three others.

The spokesman of the JTF in the region, Major Abubakar Abdullahi, stated in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, that an intense manhunt had begun to apprehend the fleeing hoodlums.

Meanwhile, the police in Bayelsa State on Thursday confirmed the murder of an operative of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and an attack on some cops on routine patrol in Otuasega, Ogbia Local Government of the state.

The armed gang reportedly hid in the bush and ambushed the NSCDC van after first attacking a group of policemen, and dispossessing them of their weapons in the process.

Though a security source who spoke in confidence said the armed robbers caught the policemen off guard and compelled them to surrender three AK47s, Mr Asinim Butswat, the state’s police command Spokesman, said on Thursday that only one rifle was lost to the gang.

Meanwhile, barely five days after some suspected pipeline vandals struck at the Ikorodu area of Lagos killing five policemen, two soldiers and three civilians on Thursday struck again and killed five persons.

The recent incident, which happened at Oko-Asagun village in Ibeju Lekki Local Government Area of the state, saw the suspects killing three policemen and two community leaders, before they abducted four telecommunication workers in the process.

The abducted workers were identified as Tayo Jibade and Johnson Ezewudo, both staff of TYDACOM Limited, as well as Tunji Moshood Akinbambi and Rauf Idowu, both staff of Erickson Limited.

According to an eyewitness report, the gang had stormed the scene from Ode-Omi creek, a border town between Lagos and Ogun State and had first shot dead the policemen attached to an estate developer in the area.

After killing the policemen, they went on to shoot dead two community leaders who attempted to resist their attacks.

A member of staff of one of the telecoms company, Jude Ajagun, who agreed to speak, said: “We were working in a site being developed by one Onoside who contracted us. While on duty we started hearing sporadic gunshots and scampered for safety.

“I hid beside some blocks, while I was watching the scenario. I saw about six heavily armed men, three were wearing mask and they sighted three policemen attached to an estate developer and shot dead the policemen.”

A community leader, who spoke on the crisis, said they were initially happy when they saw policemen guarding the newly developed estate, but that the essence of their presence was defeated with their death.

Craving anonymity he said: “We need the presence of joint security task force and not just handful policemen. We are living in fear because some of us spent huge amount of money to erect houses to develop the area, but we can’t enjoy our sweat.

“Kidnapping has become the order of the day in Ibeju Lekki. The government promised us security but we are yet to see the security.

“We are appealing to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to wade into the matter and prevail on the state commissioner of police and the military to provide us with adequate security as life is no more interesting.

“Our children are being dehumanised by the hoodlums on daily bases and our lives style has been affected badly. We suggest that the governor should request air bombardment of the creek like was done in Arepo because that seems like the only solution.”