Suspected pirates kill three, kidnap seven in south Nigeria

ABUJA, Nov. 29  — At least three persons were killed and seven oil workers kidnapped by armed gunmen, suspected to be sea pirates, who attacked a boat in Nigeria’s oil-rich Bayelsa state, the country’s civil defense agency and local sources said Monday.
Ogbere Solomon, a spokesman for the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Bayelsa, told reporters in Yenagoa, the state capital, that one NSCDC personnel was killed when the suspected pirates in the early hours of Sunday ambushed their victims aboard a boat en route Okoroma and Ogbokiri-Akassa communities of Nembe and Brass local government areas of the state.
“Yes, our officers were ambushed and attacked by suspected pirates while on their lawful duty of providing protection to some oil workers. One personnel was killed while the other two that were missing have been found,” Solomon said.
Citing local sources, the official News Agency of Nigeria reported that gunmen also killed two oil workers besides the security personnel on board, and took away the boat driver and six other oil workers.
Local police said they have launched an investigation into the incident. – XINHUA