Three members of a patrol team of naval officers in Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State have been killed by a gang of militants who ambushed them, leaving two others seriously injured.
It was gathered that the incident occurred a few minutes after the patrol team left Ibaka in Mbo Local Government Area on Saturday morning to patrol the waterways.
A boat operator, Mr. David Ekong, said that the patrol boat had not gone far on the water when residents, fishermen and boat operators in Ibaka heard sporadic gun shots.
He said, “The boat driver and one of the officers are in a critical condition. The militants shot and destroyed the naval boat. Two surviving officers jumped into the sea and were later rescued by fishermen. We saw naval personnel carrying one of the dead officers. The corpses of the other two are yet to be found.”
Another source, a customs officer who pleaded anonymity said the militants killed the officers and took their weapons.
When contacted the Director of Naval Information, Cmdr. Kabir Aliyu, he said he was trying to reach the Nigerian Naval Base, Ikot Abasi, for more information without success.
The Naval Public Relations Officer, Calabar, Lt. Cmdr. Way Olabisi, also told our correspondent that he was not aware of what happened.
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