Militants Kill 3 Naval Officers
From Segun James in Yenagoa, 02.04.2008
The fragile peace in the Niger Delta was disturbed over the weekend when three naval personnel were killed during a shoot-out with a militant group along the Nembe Creek in Nembe local government area of Bayelsa state.
The shoot-out is coming barely a week after three communities in the area staged a walk-out against the management of the Brass LNG Company within the Executive Chambers of the Government House, Yenagoa over disagreement arising from the land lease agreement with the company.
The action of the people confirmed the fears that all is still not well in the region as the action of the militants caught the naval personnel napping.
THISDAY gathered that the boys stormed the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) flow station along the creek in five speed boats and with lightning speed dispossessed the military personnel stationed at the main entrance of the facility of their arms.
On learning about what was happening, the greater number of the Army and Naval personnel within the facility engaged the militants in a bloody battle after which three naval men were killed and several others wounded. All efforts to confirm the casualty figure on the militants’ side proved abortive as at press time.
Confirming the incident, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Iniobong Ibokette said the incident happened late in the night on Saturday but could not confirm the casualty figure.
Also speaking on the shoot-out, the Commander of the Joint Task Force unit in Yenagoa, Lt. Col. Chris Musa said that he heard of the incident but he had no word about it as the area is not under his command.
Efforts to get Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta online to comment on the attack proved abortive but a source told THISDAY that no known militant camp in Bayelsa state was involved.
According to the source, the militant camps in the state have agreed that they will continue to honour the peace agreement entered into with both the Federal and States government.
He said the attack was carried out to give the people in the state, mostly the youths a bad name and vowed that the perpetrators would be brought to book in no distance future.
