Barely 12 hours after Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa read the Riot Act to criminals ahead the December 5 governorship elections in the state, sea pirates last night attacked a joint military formation in the Nembe area, killing soldiers and a policeman.

Dickson had boasted that the security forces had been fortified to deal with the criminals. On his part, the Police Commissioner, Mr Paul Okafor, announced plans to register speed boats with capacity above 200 Horse Power after a Security Council meeting on Friday in Yenagoa.

The Bayelsa Police Command earlier today confirmed that an attack on Nember waterways by armed gunmen suspected to be pirates left four soldiers and a policeman dead.

Mr Asinim Butswat, Spokesman to the Bayelsa Police Command, confirmed the development. He said: “On the 7 August, 2015, at about 11:30 p.m., four speedboats loaded with unknown gunmen, suspected to be sea pirates, attacked the Joint Task Force (JTF) Base, at Nembe Water front, in Nembe LGA.

“They killed four soldiers and one policeman. The gunmen carted away two HP guns and other arms from the Base.

“A combined team of the JTF, Marine Police and the Navy are combing the creeks to recover the arms and arrest the culprits.”

When contacted, Lt.-Col. Isa Ado, Media Coordinator of the Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta, confirmed that the attack by suspected sea pirates on JTF.

Ado, however, said that the casualty figures and loss of arms and ammunition were yet to be ascertained.

•Photo shows pirates.