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3 Soldiers Killed As NNPC Gas Pipeline Is Bombed
Three soldiers attached to the Joint Task Force, JTF, in the Niger Delta, allegedly perished in two detached boat tragedies in Bayelsa and Delta States, while suspected militants again bombed the Escravos Gas Pipeline, a facility of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, in Delta State, at the weekend.
“The blast shook our houses, it was in the night, close to where soldiers have their house boat and I wonder what they were doing since they were supposed to guarding the pipelines.”
“This one happened outside Gbaramatu clan; we heard the explosion in our homes and residents residing in communities around the Warri water front, Warri South local government area also felt the impact.
“’But I think it is Escravos Gas Pipeline that they attacked again around Beneth Island,” he added. .
Spokesperson of the Joint Task Force, Col Isa Ado, was unavailable for comment. However, a security source confirmed the incident, said they deposited the remains of a soldier at an undisclosed hospital.
The fresh explosion occurred near a military houseboat around Ogbe-Ijoh, headquarters of Warri South-West local government area.
“One of the soldiers escorting oil workers from an oil spill site drowned at Taylor Creek, near an oilfield operated by Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC in Okordia, Yenagoa local government area, Bayelsa, while the other two drowned when their gunboat capsized.”
“The boat conveying the crew from Agip’s field capsized on their way back from the site at the oilfield across and before help could come, the soldier drowned and died, they were using a hand- paddled canoe to cross the workers one at a time.
“The soldier was washing his boots when water entered that boat and it capsized and his rifle fell into the water. The other members of the crew had crossed and waiting for him to cross,” the source added.
According to him, “The attention of the fishermen operating along the creek was drawn to the distressed soldier and canoe driver of the ill- fated boat and they came and were only able to rescue the boat driver.
