Again, pirates kill 3 soldiers in Bayelsa

Less than 72 hours after suspected pi­rates killed three soldiers attached to the Joint Task Force (JTF) Operation Pulo Shield, along Santa Bar­bara River in Nembe Lo­cal Government Area, armed men have again killed another three sol­diers at Azagbene, Eker­emor Local Government Area of the state.

The latest attack occurred on Tuesday, 48 hours to Christmas when the pirates attacked the boat conveying the three soldiers on routine patrol along the waterways.

A security source said after the gunmen had killed the soldiers, they went away with their rifles and 180 rounds of ammunition.

The source said the civil­ian boat driver was also not spared as he was killed and his boat taken away.

The news of the killing of six soldiers within the space of four days, he said had thrown the JTF into deep mourning.

He said: “This is a bad time for soldiers. Just three days after three soldiers whose corpses were yet to be found were killed, three more JTF’s soldiers were also attacked and killed in similar circumstances on Tuesday.”