ARMED men suspected to be sea pirates, who have been terrorizing the creeks and waterways of Bayelsa State struck again in the early hours of yesterday, killing two policemen at the riverine town of Ogbia, in Ogbia Local Government Area of the state.
It was gathered that the latest attack on marine policemen attached to the Ogbia Division of the Nigeria Police, occurred about 0025 hours. Though the identities of those killed could not be immediately ascertained, an Assistant Superintendent of Police was also injured in the attack and is currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital.
The heavily armed bandits operating in two speed boats were said to have launched the attack from two fronts on a police gunboat that anchored at the Ogbia waterfront. “The hoodlums were heavily armed. They stormed the base where the marine policemen gunboat berthed and started shooting.
They killed two marine police men while an ASP was seriously injured,” a source told Vanguard. According to the source, the hoodlums also carted away a 200 horsepower engine belonging to the Ogbia Local Government Area, and two police rifles.
Contacted, the state Police Commissioner, Mr. Amba Asuquo, confirmed the development. He said: “It is a sad situation. About 0025 hours today (yesterday), some suspected sea pirates came in two boats from different directions and attacked our men that were anchored at the marine base at Ogbia. “Obviously, there was a lot of exchange of fire.
It was not something we planned but we tried to be defensive as much as possible and in the course of that, we lost two policemen who were killed in action. “They were able to make away with two of our rifles and a 200 horsepower engine belonging to Ogbia council.
To show you the extent of shooting at the scene, we were able to recover a GT magazine which was used by the hoodlums with 17 live ammunition and 18 expended ammunition. “Prior to the attack, we had secured our GPMG arms (mounted on the boat) which I think was one of the main things they were looking for.” He said the police have launched a manhunt for the perpetrators of the heinous act with a view to bringing them to justice.