Armed men suspected to be sea pirates hijacked a passenger boat carrying 10 passengers on Monday morning in Rivers State. The passengers were en route from Bonny to Port Harcourt when the gunmen struck, according to reports. The incident occurred near Docks Island in Okrika Local Government Area.
At the time of reporting, the sea pirates had not made contact with the victims’ families. Details of the operation remain unclear. The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the incident, and Commissioner of Police, CP Olatunji Disu, has deployed operatives to secure the release of the victims.
Grace Iringe-Koko, the State Police Public Relations Officer, stated that the police are committed to apprehending and prosecuting the kidnappers. This incident comes less than a week after the Rivers Commercial District of the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) protested to Governor Siminalayi Fubara over the frequent pirate attacks on the Bonny-Port Harcourt waterways.
During the protest, Governor Fubara, represented by the Head of Rivers State Civil Service, George Nwaeke, condemned the attacks on boat operators and travelers. He emphasized that his administration would no longer tolerate such criminal activities and reassured the public of the government’s commitment to ensuring the safety of lives and property for all residents and visitors in the state.
