Pirates attack commercial boat, kill two in Bayelsa

Suspected sea pirates have attacked a commercial boat in Bayelsa State killing two persons.

It was learnt that the attack which occurred along the waterways of Brass Local Government Area on Monday, left many other passengers seriously injured.

One of the passengers, who survived the attack, identified only as Saddam, said the ugly incident took place near the Obama Flow Station, in Okoromo.

He said, “One of the deceased is called Pale (male) and he hails from Akipelai community in Ogbia LGA, while the second person’s name is Doris (female) from Delta State.”

He said the two persons died when the pirates, after dispossessing the passengers of their valuables, shot repeatedly while escaping from the scene.

Gunmen have been laying ambush in the creeks and waterways of the state killing innocent citizens and security operatives.

On Friday, suspected pirates ambushed an oil barge escorted by security operatives and killed two policemen, an operative of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and a civilian.

The military has proposed a second phase of Operation Crocodile Smile to calm the tensed waterways.

Calls to the spokesman of Bayelsa State Police Command, Mr. Asinim Butswat, to react to the incident were not successful as his mobile phone indicated it was switched off.