By Samuel Oyadongha
Two personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, the Nigerian Police and a civilian were Friday night ambushed and killed by suspected sea pirates along the Okoron creek in Southern Ijaw Local Government of Bayelsa State.

*Suspected Pirates

The incident, which occurred at about 7pm, it was learned, heightened tension in the area as security men in all location in the council area were put on red alert.

It was gathered that the bodies of the deceased have been recovered by local divers.

While sources told Vanguard that the security personnel were on an escort mission on board a barge being towed by a local tugboat when they were ambushed by the heavily armed men, another version claimed the murdered security personnel were on routine anti-pipeline vandal patrol before the attack.

According to sources, the hoodlums were operating in a boat fitted with a 200hp engine when they launched the surprised attack on the tugboat, said to have sailed from Koluama flank on the Atlantic fringe of the council area.
The security men reportedly fought back gallantly but were overwhelmed by the superior fire power of the hoodlums.

Two security personnel and a civilian were killed while three others sustained gunshot injuries.
One of the deceased personnel (NSCDC) is an indigene of Okpotuwari community in Southern Ijaw Area.

According to a security source, “The news got to us at about 9pm. When we dispatched our security surveillance team to the area, we saw a military gun boat had arrived with some NSCDC personnel that escaped the attack.

“They seem to have recovered the corpses of the killed security personnel without their rifles. The unknown gunmen must have made away with their guns.”

The Bayelsa State Commandant of the NSCDC, Desmond Agu, could not be reached as at press time but a senior official confirmed the attack stressing that investigations were ongoing to arrest the hoodlums.