Militants kill soldier, two civil defence officers

Security operatives consisting of a soldier and two officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were on Sunday killed in an encounter with militants in Rivers State.

The security men were killed with their weapons carted away while they were trying to prevent the militants from vandalising an oil and gas facility in Gio community, Tai area of Rivers.

Aminu Iliyasu, the spokesperson of the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt, confirmed the killings in a statement made available to the newsmen on Monday.

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“The suspected militants attacked troops of 29 Battalion, 6 Division, with personnel of NSCDC in the early hours of Sunday.

“The team, which was guarding Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) Trans National Pipelines (TNP) in Gio community prevented the militants from vandalising 24 and 28 of the TNP.

“Unfortunately, during the ensuing gunfire, one soldier and two personnel of NSCDC lost their lives and their weapons, one AK 47 and two G3 rifles, carted away by the assailants,” he said.

Mr Iliyasu, however, said the army had intensified efforts to ensure that that the militants and other criminals are apprehended in no time.

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