Suspected sea pirates on Thursday hijacked a passenger boat carrying 20 travellers along the Bonny-Okrika waterways in Rivers State.
The Bonny Local Government Council disclosed that nine passengers had been rescued, while efforts are ongoing to secure the release of the remaining 11.
The rescue operation was carried out in collaboration with security agencies.
In a statement on Friday by her media aide, Boma Waribor, the Chairman of Bonny Local Government Area, Anengi Barasua Claude-Wilcox, said the boat driver had violated established safety rules by passing through kilometre 10, a prohibited channel for commercial boats.
The statement read, “Security briefing at the disposal of the Executive Chairman of Bonny Local Government Area, Anengi Barasua Claude-Wilcox, indicates that a passenger boat comprising 20 persons en route Bonny was intercepted this afternoon by sea pirates around the precincts of Isaka in Okrika Local Government Area.
“However, it should be noted that nine persons have been found and returned to Port Harcourt through the timely intervention of government security operatives, who are currently up and about and have intensified efforts to rescue the remaining 12 passengers.
“It should be noted that preliminary findings reveal that the boat driver disobeyed the rules and passed through kilometre 10, a prohibited channel for commercial boat drivers.
“The relatives of the victims and the public are urged to be calm as the Bonny Local Government Council is seriously collaborating with neighbouring LGAs and security agencies to arrest the situation.”
Meanwhile, the Maritime Union Workers of Nigeria, Rivers State chapter, has expressed concern over the rising wave of pirate attacks on the state’s waterways.
The Chairman of the MUWN Rivers Commercial District, Isreal Wariboko, decried the continuous pirate attacks despite efforts by the state government to address the situation.
He stated that the attackers employ different strategies for each operation and often hide in the mangrove to monitor security movements.
“Of course you know these boys. When they know that there is security in this area, they go to another area to operate. They are criminals.
“The truth of the matter is that they are somehow in the mangrove, and they monitor the activities of security agencies and the movement of every individual. So they come out when they see that the place is a little bit free.
“Sometimes security can be at the front, and they operate behind. Sometimes when they know that they are there, they go ahead of the security. That is the way they operate. As long as they are in the mangrove, we will continue to see this type of attack once in a while,” Wariboko said.
He called for increased security presence along the waterways to reduce the frequency of these attacks. He added that the latest incident has already been reported to the police.
“You will recall that after our protest and the donation of gunboats by the governor, we have not complained about pirate attacks along our sea routes.
“Just recently, they devised another means. I will go out there and find out what really happened to know whether the boat followed the real route or diverted to another route.
“The marine police are aware of the matter, and I know that they are handling it. As a union, too, we have sent a search party twice today,” Wariboko added.
