ARMED pirates have attacked the
Nigerian Marine Police Armoury in Calabar, Cross River State, seizing a
large
cache of weapons, police sources said.
The attackers struck at the marine base
located along Marina road, Calabar, and took away two gun boats and other
weapons.
The hoodlums operated unchallenged for nearly two hours, killing at
least one police officer and a private security man, according to unnamed
officials.
One witness said two officers were killed.
A private security personnel with a popular church within the area, who
simply identified himself as Ofonmbuk, said his colleague was killed by the
invaders.
“I survived by the grace of God,” he said, “I had to sleep under the
gutter when I saw my colleague hit by a bullet. The pirates used a superior
fire power that the police could not stand them,” he said.
The operation caused panic among residents within the riverine area and
it took the intervention of the Nigerian Navy before the pirates could be
dislodged, witnesses said.
The pirates, according to a source, “came through the Calabar River in
two speed boats, while some came with a bus and strategically positioned
themselves along the routes leading to the armoury. It was until the Navy came
and engaged them; that the pirates ran
away.”
The police spokesman for Cross River State, Hogan Bassey, confirmed the
incident, but denied that two personnel were killed.
“Yes I can confirm there was an attack early this morning and a police
man was killed.
“We are investigating the matter and hope to get to the root of it, we
will make sure they are arrested and made to face the law,” he said
In a separate development, gunmen suspected to be sea pirates also shot
and killed a naval officer in Akassa, Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa
State.
Pirates raid police armoury Seize gun boats, weapons
Reviewed by Vita Ioanes
on
Wednesday, June 24, 2015
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