Nigeria’s military says pirates hijacked a military gunboat and three soldiers are missing after the ambush in the southern oil-rich state of Bayelsa.
Spokesman Col. Mustapha Anka says a team on patrol was ambushed Sunday on the Santa Barbara River, an area rife with pirates.
Anka said a search-and-rescue operation is continuing Tuesday to locate the missing soldiers.
In October, pirates on the same river attacked a military escort for a barge carrying oil. They killed three soldiers and took off with a military gunboat.
Pirates in Nigeria steal oil and also kidnap for ransom.