Fear heightened along the creek of Bayelsa State, at the weekend, as suspected sea pirates have reportedly abducted six oil workers and four policemen in Nembe council area of the state.
The attacks, it was learnt, were carried out separately in the troubled creek, where armed pirates have been terrorizing passenger boats.
The gunmen, according to report, seized a gunboat on Friday belonging to the marine component of the Nigeria Police Force at about 1.30pm. The gunboat, it was learnt, was escorting a barge owned by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) when it came under attack.
The hoodlums, allegedly operating in a speedboat, were said to have laid ambush for the gunboat and opened fire on the policemen.
The policemen were reportedly caught unaware by the pirates who took control of the gunboat.
The incident which, according to sources, occurred along Santa Barbara and Nembe waterways, caused panic among travellers, many of whom were forced to delay their trip for fear of running into the hoodlums.
A security source said three policemen and the gunboat operator were kidnapped after the gunmen took control of the boat. “Policemen escorting Agip barge were attacked on Friday”, the source said.
Source:Vanguard
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