Military Authorities yesterday confirmed the killing of two soldiers and serious injuries to other personnel during a gun battle with suspected sea pirates along the bother town between Bayelsa and Rivers State known as Ijawkiri.
The attack on the Military is coming barely 72 hours after the Tuesday attack on a Police check point and a patrol team of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) along the Kolo Creek area of Bayelsa State.
The suspected armed bandits killed one NSCDC operatives and cart away some riffles belonging to the men of the Police force in the twin attacks.
The Nigerian Military through the Joint Security Task Force code named Operation Delta Safe (ODS), confirmed that the gun duel with sea pirates occurred during a deployment of troops at Creek 6 Houseboat in Cawthorne Channel while responding to a distress call of sea robbers attack around Ijawkiri.
Major Abubarkar Abdulahi, the Coordinator of the Joint Media Campaign Centre of the ODS, in a statement yesterday confirmed that 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.
According to him, “Unfortunately, 2 gallant soldiers exhibited highest point of patriotism by paying the supreme price while 3 others sustained gunshot injuries. Effort is ongoing by the JTF to track and apprehend the criminals.”
Abdulahi however stated that in continuation of its drive to accomplish its mandate, troops of Joint Operation DELTA SAFE on patrol around Iyalama Adama axis of Rivers State, yesterday discovered and destroyed 13 illegal refineries. However, no arrest was made.
The security formations in Bayelsa,Delta and Rivers state have been put on red alert following the noticeable attacks on security patrol teams.
Meanwhile, the Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police, Asuquo Amba has met with heads of other sister security agencies in the state to brainstorm on ways to create new synergy to prevent crime in the state.
Present at the meeting held at the Police Officers Mess, were heads of the various security outfits including, the Air force, Operation Delta Safe, Federal Road Safety Commission, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA,, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Prison Service and Department of State Service.
Speaking at the meeting, the state police commissioner, Asuquo Amba called on the sister security outfits to work as a team to reduce crime and consolidate on the gain so far recorded in the state.
He also appealed to the sister agencies to complement one another in the course of policing the state.
Amba said by engaging in team work the sister agencies would help promote peace, unity and progress .
He noted that through effective collaboration among the security organisations, crime rate statistics has decreased in the state.
He lauded the security chiefs for sustaining peace and unity in the state and called for greater cooperation to better the state.
Amba also decried inter security rivalry among sister organisations and appealed to security chiefs to advised their rank and file to ensure unity and friendship while discharging their duties.
Speaking shortly after the parley, State Commander, National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA, Mrs. Josephine Obi lauded the police commissioner for organising the meeting saying would further strengthen the bond of unity among the sister agencies.
Obi said NDLEA would work as a family with other sister agencies to better security networking and curb crimes and the use of illicit drugs in the state.
She insisted that NDLEA has moved from mere reactive to proactive organisation in terms of policing and checking drug users .
Drug wars, Obi said, involved intelligent gathering among the sister security outfits.
Crimes, according to her, are interrelated in nature and urged security chiefs to partner with one another to make the state a safe heaven.
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