Operation Pulo Shield, the Joint Military Task Force deployed to the Niger Delta region, says it is saddened by the loss of two personnel on Tuesday in Bayelsa and remains resolute in fishing out those behind the dastardly act.

Its Spokesman, Col. Isa Ado, this morning confirmed the death of two soldiers in a gun duel with suspected kidnappers near Nembe in Bayelsa.

Ado said in a telephone interview that the troops in pursuit of the fleeing kidnappers killed one of the suspects while some arrests were made but disclosed that details were still sketchy.

His words: “The unfortunate incident happened on Tuesday morning at Ogbolomabiri-Nembe junction. Some two kilometres away from Nembe, our troops on escort duty encountered some gunmen who happened to be kidnappers.

“The kidnappers attacked our soldiers and there was exchange of gunfire and we lost two of our personnel and they whisked away an expatriate who works for a construction firm Setraco and fled through the waterways.

“The loss of our personnel is regrettable and most unfortunate and their death on the line of duty for the development of the Niger Delta region is very painful.

“Their supreme sacrifice can never be in vain as the Commander of Operation Pulo Shield has given stern directives to apprehend the criminals to face prosecution and free the hostage.

“We have intensified aggressive patrols and it is yielding results, there are developments on the matter, our men had an encounter with the pirates one of them was killed.

“We found three victims in their boat made some arrests and some of them escaped but we are on their trail and we shall issue a statement as soon as we get all the details together.”

Ado also said that the nationality of the expatriate suspected to be a Lebanese cannot yet be confirmed.

•Photo shows Operation Pulo Shield Commander, Maj Gen Alani Okunlola.