The Bayelsa Police Command has been thrown into mourning, following the killing of three policemen by gunmen suspected to be pirates. Eight other policemen were injured in the attack

The victims, attached to the Marine unit, were on a routine patrol along the Nembe River, in the Nembe Local Government Area when they were attacked. They were deployed to the waterways to carry out a 24-hour patrol, following series of complaints by riverrine communities over the upsurge of pirate attacks.

It was gathered that when the speedboat of the policemen was attacked, the occupants fell into the Brass River and got drowned. Their bodies have been recovered and deposited at Nembe General Hospital mortuary. The injured policemen are receiving medical attention at the hospital.

The killing of the policemen has heightened tension in the waterways. Now people are afraid to travel through the waterways.

Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hilary Opara, confirmed the incident, but assured Bayelsans that the police were on top of the situation.

According to him, the police command has already commenced a manhunt for the perpetrators of the act.

Opara promised that the command would spare nothing in ensuring that they were apprehended and made to face the full wrath of the law.

His words: “Yes, three of our men were attacked and killed. But we have gone after them. We are going to get them. We have spread our dragnets to ensure they do not escape. Our men also got some of them during the shootout, but it was just that they escaped with their speedboats. We have already informed sister states on the development, they would not escape”

Opara disagreed that there has been an upsurge in pirate attacks, stressing that the police have been involved in a lot of intelligence gathering from communities. He disclosed that a notorious sea-pirate was recently arrested through the efforts of intelligence gathering, and that every suspect involved would also be picked up.

State Chairman of the Maritime Union, Chief Lloyd Sese, in his reaction, said there has been upsurge of pirate attacks along the waterways and creeks. He disclosed that 25 lives were lost last year, in such attacks.

Sese said that various messages sent were to the state government, the inland waterways and the state police command on the security threat but nothing happened.

“There was no response at all from these people and we are at the mercy of sea pirates,” Sese said.

He revealed that the security concern along the waterways last year led to the mobilisation of youths against sea pirates, which, according to him, yielded result with the arrest of four pirates after a robbery incident in the Akassa area of Brass Local Government.

“The arrested pirates are at the state police headquarters and have confessed to many attacks. They even mentioned some locations where their arms and ammunition are kept, but up till today no one has gone to recover them.

Pirates kill 3 policemen in Bayelsa