BAYELSA AGAIN.

There was apprehension in Bayelsa State on
Saturday as gunmen said to sea pirates allegedly
killed four policemen and abducted six persons.
The killing of the policemen and the abduction of
the six persons were said to have been carried
out in two separate operations in the state.
While the killing of the policemen took place
along the Santa Barbara waterways, the six were
abducted along the Nembe waterways in Nembe
Local Government Area of the state.
SUNDAY PUNCH learnt the gunmen also seized a
gunboat belonging to the Nigeria Police in an
incident that occurred about 1:30pm on Friday.
It was learnt the gunboat was escorting a barge
owned by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company when
the pirates attacked it.
It was further learnt that the pirates, who
operated on a speedboat, laid ambush for the
gunboat and opened fire on the policemen.
They were said to have killed the policemen, who
were taken unawares. They subsequently took
away the gunboat and their arms.
The incident was also said to have delayed the
movement of prominent personalities travelling
to Okpoama, Brass Local Government Area for
the funeral of an uncle to former Bayelsa
Governor Timipre Sylva.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations
Officer, Mr. Alex Akhigbe, said he was in Abuja
for a programme.
Punch newspaper.