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Four feared killed, seven abducted by pirates in Bayelsa  

By Julius Osahon, Yenagoa
29 November 2021   |   3:00 am
Few days after Bayelsa Security Council and state Police Command re-imposed a 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew on its waterways, suspected sea pirates, in the early hours of Sunday

Few days after Bayelsa Security Council and state Police Command re-imposed a 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew on its waterways, suspected sea pirates, in the early hours of Sunday, went on the rampage, shooting four persons dead and abducting seven.

The rampaging sea pirates-cum-kidnappers were said to have ambushed workers of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) in Okoroma and Ogbokiri-Akassa communities in the Nembe and Brass Local Government areas.

They reportedly shot dead two workers of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company and a member of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), while the driver of the boat, an indigene of Okoroma community, is still missing.

In the attack that occurred at Ogbokiri-Akassa in Brass Local Government Area, six Nigerian oil workers doing maintenance jobs close to their platform were abducted and taken away.

Agip oil workers and their security personnel were attacked about 6 a.m. on Sunday while working close to Manifold in Bayelsa.

Spokesman for NSCDC, Bayelsa command, Ogbere Solomon, who confirmed the attack, said only one member of the Command died in the ambush, while two others who were missing have been found and are being treated at Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa.

He said: “Yes, our officers were ambushed and attacked by some unknown pirates while on lawful duty providing protection to Agip Oil workers close to Obama manifold in Okoroma community of Nembe Local Government Area. 

“One personnel was killed while the other two that were missing have been found and are responding to treatment.”

 
The Youth President of the Okoroma Clan, Tarinyu Joseph, who also confirmed the incident on the telephone, said indigenes of the community mobilised and recovered corpses of those killed and have taken those injured to hospital. 

He also confirmed that the boat driver, who he identified as his brother, was still missing.

MEANWHILE, some indigenes of Okoroma community have accused Agip Oil of being insensitive to security of their workers. 

They alleged the company had refused to hire gunboats to protect their workers on official duties along waterways and creeks.

Others, however, blamed the rise in sea attacks and ambush on the refusal of indigenous security surveillance contractors to pay youths working with them

The Guardian gathered from community sources that some unidentified gunmen had vowed to terrorise waterways and creeks of Bayelsa until security companies working with the Agip Oil paid outstanding payments due to them.

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