Armed men kill policemen, kidnap two Lebanese

Firstclass newsline learnt that some gunmen on Wednesday shot two
policemen dead and abducted two Lebanese nationals in Bayelsa State.
The incident occurred at the riverside town of Onuegbum in the Ogbia
Local Government Area of the state.
The identities of the slain policemen attached to a construction firm,
Pache, dredging sand in the area, could not be immediately
ascertained.
The deceased policemen were said to be a sergeant and a corporal.
The Lebanese were identified as Sarki Chmouli and Ibrahim Abi Pherem.
Eyewitnesses said the invaders, numbering about eight and armed with
assault rifles, stormed the company dredging site about 12.30pm
through the waterways in two speedboats.
The gunmen were said to have repeatedly shot into the air. The
development, it was learnt, caused the workers to scamper for safety.
The situation, it was further learnt, led to a gun battle between the
two policemen and the suspected kidnappers.
It was learnt that during the encounter, the policemen were shot by
the invading gunmen, who also succeeded in kidnapping the two
Lebanese.
The gunmen were said to have escaped through the waterways.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Asinim Butswat, said
the corpse of the slain policemen had been deposited at the morgue of
the Federal Medical Centre for autopsy.
Butswat said, "We have alerted the marine component of the police, the
Joint Task Force and the navy."
Firstclassnewsline.net