No fewer than 10 passengers were abducted when suspected pirates attacked a passenger boat in the Bonny waterway in Rivers State on Monday.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the boat was travelling from Bonny to Port Harcourt at about 10 am when the incident occurred.
Though details of the incident could not be ascertained as of press time, the maritime workers union in the state has confirmed it to our correspondent.
The state Chairman of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Rivers Commercial District, Israel Pepple, who confirmed the incident, said the abducted boat passengers were travelling from Bonny Island to Port Harcourt when the suspected pirates swooped on them.
He said the incident had been reported to the police, even as he called on the government and relevant security agencies to beef up security in the waterways to prevent attacks on the sea.
People stated, “As I speak to you right now, 10 persons have been kidnapped while travelling from Bonny to Port Harcourt. And the others are still afloat in the river waiting for rescue.
“I said let me just draw the attention of the Rivers State Governor, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly and the Commissioner of Police who we visited last week that this happened this morning.”
Our correspondent reports that the latest incident came less than a week when People led the maritime union members on a protest at the Government House, Port Harcourt on the upsurge of pirate attacks on the waterways.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident, saying an investigation was ongoing.
Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police, said, “Yes, we are aware. Investigation is ongoing to ensure that they are rescued unhurt.
“The Commissioner of Police has ordered the Divisional Police Officer and other tactical units to also ensure the arrest of the hoodlums and make them face justice.”
