Two soldiers attached to the joint military force in the Niger Delta, Operation Delta Safe, died in a gun duel with heavily armed sea pirates in Bayelsa state on Wednesday.
The soldiers were part of a team dispatched in response to a distress call on an attack by pirates operating in Southern Ijaw local government area of the state.
Abubakar Abdulahi, spokesman of the force, confirmed this on Thursday, saying three members of the team also sustained gunshot injuries and are currently receiving medical attention.
He described the incident as sad but added that efforts were on to bring the perpetrators to book.
“Sadly, our troops deployed at Creek 6 houseboat in Cawthorne Channel while responding to a distress call of sea robbers attack around Ijawkiri general area engaged heavily armed sea robbers,” he said.
“Unfortunately, two gallant soldiers exhibited highest point of patriotism by paying the supreme price while three others sustained gunshot injuries.
“Effort is on-going by the JTF to track and apprehend the criminals.”
He also said troops of Joint Operation DELTA SAFE on patrol around Iyalama Adama axis of Rivers on Wednesday discovered and destroyed 13 illegal refineries.
He said no arrest was made as the operators fled before the troops got to the site.
