Pirates terrorise travellers, hold them hostage in Rivers

Sea travellers are being held hostage for hours in Rivers State by pirates who are carting away boats conveying the travellers to Port Harcourt.

Passengers of a boat on Monday were travelling from Bills Community in Degema Local Government Area of the state to Port Harcourt when the incident happened .

It was learned that the fully armed pirates had attacked the passengers, carted away their properties and the boat conveying them to Port Harcourt and abandoned them (travellers) in the mangroves.

It was gathered that there has been an increase in the activities of sea pirates in the area.

The recent incidents happened on Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

It was learnt that recently, there have been heightened sea Pirates attacks on passengers boats plying the Bille - Port Harcourt route. 

A sourced revealed that "the new wave of attacks began last Saturday 1st and yesterday 2nd June 2019. On Saturday they took a boat after dropping off the passengers on the sea. 

" The climax was this morning, Monday, along New Calabar River where 5 fully loaded Port Harcourt bound speedboats on a convoy were attacked by heavily armed Sea Pirates in military camouflage.

"Two of the passengers, Mr Andrew Kio, a DSS official and Hon. Opukon H. Imo, Councillor representing Ward 16 in Degema  Legislative Council sustained gun shot inquiries and are currently receiving treatment in Port Harcourt.

"Other notable victims of the attacks included the newly elected Chairman of the Bille Kingdom Chiefs Council, Chief (Barr.) Bennett Okpopkiye Dokubo, Mr. Fi-ibite A. Bille, Chairman, Bille Community in Port Harcourt, Mrs. Apaemi Amaye, President, Bille Women Forum and Hon. Dumo Warigbani, Chairman, Marine Workers Union of Nigeria, Bille Unit."

However, the Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State Police Command, DSP. Nnamdi Omoni , said Police are aware of the development, adding that the Officer in Charge of Marine Operations got the information and mobilised to the area.

He said, "We got the report from the OC Marine. On arrival of police to the scene the hoodlums took flight. We have done security deployment to cover the waterways.