A tragic incident unfolded in Gagira, a suburb of Awoye coastal community in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State over the weekend as four Nigerian navy personnel were reportedly killed by sea pirates.
The naval ratings met their demise during an exchange of gunfire with the pirates, which occurred after the abduction of three foreigners. Following the incident, naval personnel have been dispatched to the community to search for the sea pirates and the military rifles of the deceased ratings.
Commanding Officer, Forward Operating Base in Igbokoda, Commodore Danjuma Ndanusa, imposed a curfew on the community and insisted that the four military rifles and seven magazines stolen during the gun duel must be produced. He also revealed that one of the arrested sea pirates had claimed the rifles were in the community.
Ndanusa emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, “We intimated them on what is at stake. It is like sleeping on a time bomb. I told all the Baales (village heads) to get all their youths and speak with them.”
The search efforts also yielded four telephones and one walkie-talkie belonging to the foreigners. Additionally, a search on the boat they arrived in from Bayelsa State resulted in the recovery of empty magazines from guns on the boat floor. As a result, a curfew was imposed on the four communities, and pressure was put on the residents to produce the arms due to the threat posed to the innocent people in the community.