Gunmen suspected to be pirates have invaded Ayama community in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, killing three and injuring three"It was gathered that the hoodlums entered the community at about 9pm on Monday, shot sporadically and caused pandemonium in the area.

Member of the state House of Assembly representing Ogbia Constituency II, Mr. Munalayefa Edwin Gibson, confirmed the development.

Gibson condemned the attack and lamented that the gunmen shot consistently for over 30 minutes.

He said they later took away more than 10 speedboats at the waterfront.

It was gathered that after the attack, the same gang stormed Ogbia Town around12:30pm on Tuesday.

They were said to have kidnapped one Mrs. Augusta Apaga and seized four 75 horsepower engine boats.

Gibson said the council had been thrown into mourning, especially Anyama community where three persons were feared dead and two in critical conditions.

He described the separate incidents as senseless, wicked and barbaric.

The lawmaker lamented rising cases of sea piracy and kidnapping along coastal communities in Ogbia.

“The way and manner the merchants of evil operate is suggestive that there are insider collaborators from the communities acting as informants and sponsors and benefitting from the blood money.

“I sympathise with the affected communities especially the victims and advise communities to be more vigilant and work even harder towards supplying security agencies with relevant information which is critical to tracking the suspects,” the legislator said.

He called on security agencies to double their efforts in locating and arresting persons behind the dastardly acts.

Asinim Butswat, a Deputy Superintendent of Police and Spokesman of Bayelsa Police Command, confirmed the development and said investigation was underway.