Suspected sea Pirates have killed two naval officers, Lt. Cmdr Femi Fakiyesi, and one other along the Calabar waterways after a failed attempt to kidnap foreign expatriates working for an oil company, Addax Petroleum.
The incident, which occurred along the waterways in the Parrot Island has thrown the Eastern Naval Command of the Nigeria Navy into mourning.
Our correspondent learnt that the navy boat was escorting the Addax Petroleum stick boat tagged MV Well-Manned when the incident happened.
A source, Archibong Bassey, said the wounded naval officer was rushed to the Navy Hospital in Calabar but he later died due to bullet wound sustained during the gun battle.
“I was at the clinic when two naval officers were rushed in under critical condition. I later learnt afterwards that one died instantly and the other died later as a result of the injury sustained,” he said.
Findings also revealed that the sea pirates had attempted to intercept the Addax Petroleum boat in a bid to kidnap the foreign expatriates but met stiff resistance from the navy patrol escort boat.
Another source, who preferred anonymity, said it was likely that the sophisticated weapons used by the pirates was gotten from the last raid on the armoury of the Marine Police base in Calabar.
“How would the pirates be able confront navy if not for the sophisticated weapons they stole from the armoury of the Marine Police in Calabar,” he said.
Sea Pirates had in June raided the armoury of the Marine Police in Calabar and succeeded in carting away huge quantity of weapons and a gun boat.
Security operatives had recently lamented that creeks along the Calabar waterways have become hideout for sea robbers and kidnappers, while the spate of kidnapping in Calabar and environs is on the increase in recent times.
Reacting to the incident when contacted, The Eatern Naval Command Information Officer(CINFO) Lt. Cmdr Bassey Ayi, confirmed that the command only lost one of its officers as a result of the incident.
“It was unfortunate that the navy lost one of its officers who had put in spirited fight to combat crime.
“We regret to speak on this unfortunate incident which happened around 0915 hours on Friday at the Parrot Island along the Calabar channel.
“Lt. Cmdr O.J Fakiyesi, died in active service while trying to repel attack by suspected sea robbers/pirates on Addax boat named MV Well-Manned. The robbers were after the expatriates in that boat.
“The officer and his team were on routine patrol on escort duty. The Addax boat had some unspecified numbers of foreign expatriates and indigenous staff of the oil company.
“It was while they were escorting the boat that the miscreants came out from the creek and attacked them. They were to kidnap the expatriates probably for ransom. The miscreant repelled with heavy casualties.
“Our men opened fire on them and we ensured that we secured the lives of the expatriates. Unfortunately, during the process one of our officers secured injury and was taken to our hospital in Calabar. He died before he could get medical attention. The officer proved himself to be a hero.”he said
The Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Henry Babalola had recently told newsmen that the Eastern Naval Command would soon be receiving two war ships to help curtail criminals on the Calabar Channels and the high sea under the Eastern Naval command as part of the Federal Government effort to tackle oil theft, sea robbery and kidnapping on the Nigeria Territorial Waters.
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