The Nigerian Defence Headquarters has confirmed that a military attack helicopter opened fire on a boat along the Bonny Waterway in Rivers State on Thursday last week.
However; the Director of Defence Information, Benjamin Olufemi Sawyerr, said the target of the attack was not a cargo boat that was conveying people and food stuff, as earlier claimed.
The Defence spokesman said the combat helicopter shot at a boat that was allegedly being used for illegal oil bunkering, with two escort speed boats.
In a statement that has just been released, Sawyerr recalled that the helicopter attached to the “Operation DELTA SAFE” Joint Task Force had responded to a distress call from ground troops in the area.
He said the combat helicopter fired warning shots, and the crew of the boat fired back at the helicopter, following which the boat was engaged accordingly.