| The Nigerian army said Friday a militant group travelling in speed boats attacked a unit of men at Obioko, near Membe in southeastern Bayelsa state. None of the soldiers were killed, but the militants sustained heavy casualties, said Col. Rabe Abubakar, spokesman of the government-backed Joint Military Task Force, or JTF. He said the attack was carried out early Friday by unidentified militants in five speed boats. The two sides exchanged fire. The militant attack was “botched and heavy casualties were inflicted on the attackers, who were forced to flee,” Abubakar said. “There were no casualties on our side nor any community member and the facility we are guarding (Agip pipelines) are 100% safeguarded.” He said the attackers were likely to be looking for arms and ammunition because the JTF had blocked all routes that the “criminals used for illegal oil bunkering and activities through which they purchased arms for use against their own people and country.” |
Jun202009