Unidentified gunmen on Tuesday attacked a Marine Police Division in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa killing two policemen on guard duty.

A police source, who confirmed the development, said the pirates also made away with two gunboats.

Residents of the area said the hoodlums attacked the marine police formation in the wee hours of Tuesday and ransacked the place in search of arms.

The attackers then killed the two policemen who confronted them.

Asuquo Amba, Bayelsa Police Commissioner, confirmed the development saying that the pirates stole two boats.

“At about 002hrs of Tuesday, some unknown gunmen suspected to be sea pirates that came in with two boats from different directions attacked our men that were anchored at marine base at Ogbia.

“And obviously there was a lot of exchange of fire. We tried to be as defensive as possible. In the cause of that we lost two policemen who were shot in action and they were able to make away with two of our rifles.

“Also a 200 horsepower outboard engine belonging to the Ogbia Local Government Area was carted away.

“To show you the extent of exchange of firing at the scene, we were able to recover a G3 magazine, which was used by them with 17 live ammunition and 18 expended ammunition.

“The firing was not from one direction. It was through separate direction. Prior to this time, we had secured our GMP gun which I think was one of the main thing they were looking for.

“Their direction was seriously on but we were able to secure that. So, they could not steal it and that was why we lost two police officers in action and the officer that led the team, an ASP was equally injured and is recovering,” Mr. Amba said.

He regretted the resurgence of the activities of sea pirates which the command had curtailed during the festive period.

The chairman of the Maritime Workers Union in Bayelsa, Lloyd Sese, confirmed the development and said that it had paralysed the marine transport sector as boat operators were scared of the pirates.

“If they could be so daring to invade a Marine Police Base and disarm Policemen on guard and killed two of them and stole two of their patrol boats, then the waterways cannot be safe for marine transport operators hence we withdrew our boats,” Mr. Sese said.