Sea pirates have abducted two American sailors off the coast of Brass in Bayelsa State.
In a separate incident, two soldiers attached to the Joint Military Task Force in the Niger Delta, codenamed Operation Pulo Shield were shot dead by suspected sea pirates in Ikuru Community of Adoni Local Government Area of the state.
The Americans were seized when the pirates attacked their vessel, C.RETRIEVER and abducted its captain and chief engineer (both Americans).
The identities of the sailors had yet to be known just as their whereabouts were unknown.
A top security source, who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent in Yenagoa that the armed men invaded the vessel on Wednesday.
The source said the pirates reportedly shot into the air to scare the crew members before they (crew members) surrendered the vessel.
Checks by our correspondent indicated that the Americans might have been kidnapped for ransom, but the abductors had yet to establish contacts with the firm.
It was learnt that the vessel is owned by an American marine transport group, Edison Chouest Offshore.
When contacted, Director of Naval Information, Commodore Kabiru Aliyu, confirmed the incident.
He said the authorities of the Central Naval Command in Bayelsa State had been directed to rescue the kidnapped sailors.
Also, at the Ikuru incident, another soldier was said to be missing just as the boat driver and three civilian employees of the Z-Cube Construction Company were also wounded in the attack.
It was learnt that the armed attack, which occurred on Tuesday, was carried out by sea pirates between the coastal border areas between Bayelsa and Rivers states.
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