Suspected militants disguised as mourners kill three soldiers in Nembe, Bayelsa state (Graphic photos)

Suspected militants killed three soldiers and carted away arms and ammunition in an ambush in Nembe city, Nember Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, on Monday, August 8th.

The gunmen also made away with military gunboats, after they sacked the operatives of the JTF stationed at the checkpoint in the waterways of the state.

 Reports have it that the militants disguised as mourners to deceive the security operatives before unleashing several gunshots on the unsuspecting officers, killing three instantly and injuring several others, including civilians. Many residents of the area are fleeing in fear of a reprisal attack by the military.

"The attack was deadly and well planned. Nobody had expected that such a thing would happen at such time when the jetties were busy with people preparing to go about their normal business activities," a resident told Thisday.

"I am sure even the soldiers did not expect such incident to happen at that time. Some persons who were already sailing out of Nembe said they saw the gunmen but dismissed  them as mourners because they were dressed in white robes”, he said.

Joint Task Force JTF confirmed the attack, saying that gunmen believed to be militants at 10a.m, attacked 343 Artillery Regiment, a detachment of Operation Delta Safe deployed to Nembe Jetty in Bayelsa State. Acting Coordinator for the Joint Media Campaign, Centre, Lt Commander A Ahmed, said in a statement,

"During the incidence, three soldiers lost their lives. The Commander of Operation Delta Safe, Rear Admiral Joseph Okojie, has consequently deployed reinforcement to apprehend the perpetrators of this heinous crime. It should be noted that the attack by militants was as a result of the ongoing operations of the JTF aimed at flushing out all forms of criminality, especially pipeline vandalism and destruction of illegal refinery within the region."

Also, Bayelsa State deputy governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah, (retd), who visited the scene commiserated with the families of the slain soldiers and assured the authorities of the JTF of the state government’s support towards apprehending their killers.
Chairman, Brass Local Government Area of the state, Bello Bina, described the killing as totally unwarranted and disheartening. A statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Saint Mienpamo, said that such malicious act was only painting the state and indeed the region in bad light.

"It is wicked for anybody to attack soldiers that are risking their lives to protect us. Such attacks are only sending a wrong signal to the rest of the world because they will continue to perceive us as a violent people. Of course you and I know the implication of this. “It is very difficult to see progress in a nation that is plagued with violence. Only peaceful nations make progress. So our youths must recognise this fact and refrain from violence,"