By FESTUS AHON
UGHELLI—Two soldiers attached to the Joint Military Task Force, JTF, have died in a motor accident at Okpare-Olomu, Ughelli South Local Government Area, Delta State, while chasing suspected armed robbers.

The suspected armed robbers, Vanguard gathered, had robbed a petrol station in Ovwor and stopped over at Okpare-Olomu to rob another petrol station, before fleeing through the Olomu bridge.

According to a reliable source, the soldiers, who acted on a tip off, chased the robbers to Okpare upon hearing that the dare-devil robbers were robbing another petrol station.

The source, who pleaded anonymity, said the soldiers lost control while negotiating a sharp curve in Okpare, close to the bridge, adding that the patrol van somersaulted, leaving the two soldiers dead on the spot.

While noting with dismay that the robbers had a field day, the source said the surviving soldiers who sustained severe injuries, were rushed to the hospital for treatment.

When contacted, spokesman of the JTF in the Niger Delta, Lt Col Timothy Antiga, confirmed that there was an accident involving soldiers attached to the force.

He said: “I cannot confirm if there was any casualty. I cannot also speak on where they were going to or coming from. We are expecting a detailed report on the issue from the commander of the unit the victims were attached to.”

At press time, the white Toyota Hilux pick up van in which the soldiers drove was still at the scene of the accident badly damaged.

http://naija-online.com/2012/02/2-soldiers-killed-in-auto-crash/