The Mayhem which occurred about 9.30am, AbacityBlog learnt, the gunmen also made away with military gunboats, after they sacked the operatives of the JTF stationed at the checkpoint in the waterways of Bayelsa State.
The checkpoint, it was gathered, is situated at the entrance of the community and has existed since the beginning of militancy in the Niger Delta region.
The miliotants reportedly disguised as mourners to divert the The attention of 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, it was gathered, became apprehensive when they heard heavy sounds of gunshots which unsettled the community during the surprise attack that lasted for about 30 minutes.
The militants according to a source who pleaded anonymity where reported to have operated in several gunboats caught the soldiers unawares, thereby leaving no chance for a quick response, a source said.
Lt Col. Olaolu Daudu, Spokesman of the JTF in the region, was not immediately available for comments as his phone did not connect, but a resident of the area said that many people had started fleeing for fear that the military might return for a reprisal attack.
“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.
“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 asserted.
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