Gunmen suspected to be pirates have attacked and killed three soldiers of the Joint Task Force (JTF) Operation Pulo Shield in the Nembe axis of Bayelsa.

The pirates reportedly hijacked the military gunboat after killing the soldiers on board on Sunday at about 4pm.

The three soldiers were ambushed and killed at Santa Barbara River in Nembe Local Government Area.

The slain soldiers were escorting material to Brass terminal owned by the Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC), when the gunmen opened fire on them.

Maritime workers sources said the soldiers were sailing from Port Harcourt to Brass when they came under attack.

One source said: “They were ambushed by pirates. It is suspected that the gunmen killed the soldiers and threw their dead bodies into the water and made away with the gunboat.

“The gunboat seems to be the target of the hoodlums as arms are being stockpiled by militants ahead 2015 elections.

“The Santa Barbara River in Nembe area where the incident occurred is notorious for piracy.”

Media Coordinator for JTF, Col. Mustapha Anka, who confirmed the attack yesterday, it was too hasty to conclude that the soldiers were dead.

Anka said the outfit had raised a search team adding that efforts were underway to locate the whereabouts of the soldiers.

•Photo shows men of the JTF on duty.