Pirates Kidnap Two American Sailors On Nigerian Sea

Sea pirates have abducted two American sailors off the coast of Brass in Bayelsa State.

In a separate incident, two soldiers attached to the Joint Military Task Force in the Niger Delta, codenamed Operation Pulo Shield were shot dead by suspected sea pirates in Ikuru Community of Adoni Local Government Area of the state.

The Americans were seized when the pirates attacked their vessel, C.RETRIEVER and abducted its captain and chief engineer (both Americans).

The identities of the sailors had yet to be known just as their whereabouts were unknown.

A top security source, who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent in Yenagoa that the armed men invaded the vessel on Wednesday.

The source said the pirates reportedly shot into the air to scare the crew members before they (crew members) surrendered the vessel.

Checks by our correspondent indicated that the Americans might have been kidnapped for ransom, but the abductors had yet to establish contacts with the firm.

It was learnt that the vessel is owned by an American marine transport group, Edison Chouest Offshore.

When contacted, Director of Naval Information, Commodore Kabiru Aliyu, confirmed the incident.

He said the authorities of the Central Naval Command in Bayelsa State had been directed to rescue the kidnapped sailors.

Also, at the Ikuru incident, another soldier was said to be missing just as the boat driver and three civilian employees of the Z-Cube Construction Company were also wounded in the attack.

It was learnt that the armed attack, which occurred on Tuesday, was carried out by sea pirates between the coastal border areas between Bayelsa and Rivers states.

A source, who preferred to be anonymous, said the soldiers were on escort duty to provide security for a three-man team of Z-Cube Construction Company officials.

He said they were on their way to the project site awarded to them by the Niger Delta Development Commission when the attack was carried out.

JTF’s Media Coordinator, Lt.Col. Oyenma Nwachukwu, confirmed the death of the soldiers.

He said the soldiers fought gallantly to repel the attack and successfully defended the civilians they were escorting at the expense of their on lives.

Nwachukwu said the attack was an ambush and the soldiers repelled the attack in a gun battle that ensued.

He said, “About 1pm on Tuesday,  October 22, 2013, three of our soldiers fell into an ambush of sea robbers while on escort duty of three Civilian Staff of Z-Cube Construction Company, moving from end of New Road to Ikuru town in Adoni Local Government Area of Rivers State.

“The company’s employees were on their way to NDDC Road construction site in the area. Our troops fought gallantly to repel the attack and successfully defended the lives of the civilians they were escorting even at the expense of their own lives. They stood by the creed of their profession by paying the supreme sacrifice to ensure the safety of the civilian staff.”

Nwachukwu also confirmed that an employee of the company and the boat operator sustained minor gun shot wounds and were recuperating in the hospital.

He said, “We are on the trail of the perpetrators who must be brought to justice. We are also urging the inhabitants of the area to report any suspicious movement of persons in the community to law enforcement agents.”