•GOC 6 Div vows to fish out killers
From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Gunmen, yesterday morning, ambushed a convoy of Daewood workers on the Ahoada-Abua road, along the East-West Road in Rivers State, killing four soldiers and two drivers.
The Daewoo workers were said to be on their way to Yenagoa, Bayelsa State when they were attacked.
Security sources said the gunmen killed four soldiers and two drivers on escort duties for the company, while two top officials of the company, who are Korean nationals, were abducted.
The incident, which occurred in spite of the heavy security presence on the road, caused pandemonium as many drivers from Tombia and Ekeki motor parks in Yenagoa, and Choba and Rumola motor parks in Port Harcourt refused to board passengers on their vehicles.
A security source, who confirmed the development, said the suspected kidnappers ambushed a team of expatriates being escorted by troops of 5 Bn along the Ahoada-Obua road in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. He said the gunmen took the security team on the convoy by surprise, as they took advantage of the thick forest along the road to launch the attack.
“During the attack, the assailants opened fire on the convoy killing four soldiers and two civilian drivers and, subsequently, abducted two Koreans in the process. They were on their way to Yenagoa. They have a Daewoo camp in Bayelsa.’’
Sources said the attack was a reprisal of a military operation in the axis during which arms and ammunition were seized.
A top security source from the Nigerian Army said the General Officer Commanding 6 Division, Major General Jamal Abdulsalam, has been briefed over the incident. He said a detailed brief of the incident was being prepared, which would inform the response of the military.
Officials of the Rivers State Police Command said though the incident affected soldiers, the command had been briefed.
The Assistant-General of Police, Zone 16, in charge of Rivers and Bayelsa States, AIG Paul Odama, was at the Bayelsa State Police Command on an official duty when the incident occurred.
Sources at Zone 16 said the AIG had been briefed and more security presence would be deployed to the road to assure Nigerians plying the East-West road of their safety.
Meanwhile, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division, Nigerian Army/Land Component Commander, Joint Task Force, South- South Operation Delta Safe, Major General Jamal Abdulssalam has condemned the killing of four soldiers along the East/ West Road on Tuesday.
Abdulsslam, in a statement by Acting Deputy Director, 6 Division Army Public Relations, Major Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, said the attack was carried out by militants.
The statement read in part: ‘’Troops of 5 Battalion on routine escort duty for an oil servicing company at Enweh West manifold, Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State were attacked by suspected militants, at Emesu junction, along Amungboro -Emuphan road. Unfortunately, four soldiers were killed in action, with two other oil workers unaccounted for.
‘’The suspects allegedly escaped through the Emesu waterside, using the Orashi River. Troops are currently combing the general area to fish out the perpetrators of this dastardly act. Additionally, efforts are ongoing to ensure that the unaccounted oil workers are found.
‘’The General Officer Commanding, 6 Division, Nigerian Army/Land Component Commander, Joint Task Force, South South, Operation Delta Safe, Major General Jamal Abdussalam, while acknowledging the supreme sacrifice paid by the gallant soldiers, strongly condemned this unwarranted attack. He reassured that efforts are ongoing to track down the criminals to pay for their crimes. Consequently, members of the general public are kindly requested to provide credible and actionable intelligence that could lead to the arrest of these criminals.
‘’The public is also assured that troops will not relent until all forms of criminalities, such as militancy, oil theft, and pipeline vandalism, are effectively eliminated within the Niger Delta the region.’’