Militants attack military Bayelsa checkpoint, loses member

 Militants attack military Bayelsa checkpoint, loses member

Militants

It was reported that the battle, which lasted about three hours, claimed one of the suspected militants.

An early Monday attack on a checkpoint has left a suspect dead, leaving a military personnel injured in Ogboinbiri community at a wellhead owned by the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) at Seibou oil field in the Southern Ijaw Local Government area of Bayelsa State.

The deceased is identified as from Ukparatubo Community in Southern Ijaw.

Sources within the community said that the gunmen stormed the military checkpoint in three boats and shot at the soldiers at about 6am on Sunday.

The soldiers who were on duty and providing security at SPDC engaged the armed men in a gun battle.

According to the source, "the soldiers shot dead one of the boys but one of the soldiers was wounded. The soldier is identified as Job and his rifle was taken away."

Attempts to get a reaction from the spokesman of the 16 Division of the Nigerian Army in Bayelsa, Captain Victor Odukoya, were unsuccessful.

Military sources, however, confirmed the development, insisting that efforts were ongoing to recover the stolen military rifle and arrest the culprits.