Two Soldiers Killed In Andoni Ambush

Two soldiers have been killed by suspected sea pirates along the Andoni River while three others are wounded.
Eye witnesses told The Tide that the two soldiers were escorting officials of a contracting firm, Z-Cube Construction Company which is  supervising a project being executed by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) at Ikuru Town in Andoni local Government Area.
According to the sources, the pirates opened fire on sighting the speed boat conveying the soldiers, adding that the bodies of the dead soldiers were recovered immediately.
The authorities of the Joint Military Task Force confirmed the death of the soliders through its Media Co-ordinator, Lt. Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, saying that the soldiers fought gallantly to repel the attack and successfully defended the lives of the civilians they were escorting at the expense of their own lives.
According to the statement issued by Lt. Col. Nwachukwu, “at about 1pm on Tuesday, 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 Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State”.
Nwachukwu said the “company staff  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 a civilian staff of the construction company and the boat operator sustained minor gunshot wounds and were recuperating in the hospital.
“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 agencies”, the statement added.
Meanwhile, the Andoni Local Government Council has condemned the killing of two soldiers by suspected sea pirates along the Andoni River.
The council chairman, Hon. Orom Nte Ereforokuma who spoke through his Media Assistant, Mr. Jackson M. Suriguma described the attack as barbaric, stressing that the council would get to the root of the matter.
According to the chairman, the Andoni Local Government Council is leaving no stone unturned to bring to book those behind the dastardly act and urged the Joint Security Taskforce (JTF) to beef up security along the Andoni creeks and rivers.

Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika (left), with UN Resident Coordinator, Mr Daouda Toure, at the United Nations Day celebration in Abuja, yesterday.

Enoch Epelle