TheCable

Three soldiers attached to Operation Pulo Shield – the joint force in the Niger Delta – were killed in an attack by suspected militants in Bayelsa state.

According to Sahara Reporters, the incident happened on Monday night in Foropa, a community in Southern Ijaw local government area (LGA), known to be a stronghold of militants in the state.

The military reportedly evacuated the bodies of the slain soldiers before dawn.

Residents of the community are said to be fleeing “for fear of military invasion and indiscriminate arrest of innocent persons”.

Isa Ado, spokesman of the security outfit, later confirmed the report, but said the militants also suffered heavy casualty.

In recent times, security personnel have come under serious attacks, particularly in the Niger Delta region.

On Monday, seven mobile policemen were killed in Rivers and Delta states.

President Muhammadu Buhari ordered the military to crackdown on militants following resurgence  in bombings of oil and gas facilities.

A new militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers, claimed responsibility for most of the attacks, saying it was on a mission to cripple the nation’s economy.