No fewer than ten passengers traveling along the Bonny waterways in Rivers State were on Monday, September 3, kidnapped by unknown gunmen suspected to be pirates.
According to reports, the boat was said to be traveling from Bonny to Port Harcourt at about 10 am when it came under attack by the gunmen.
Chairman of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Rivers Commercial District, Israel Pepple, confirmed the incident to journalists in Port Harcourt.
He said the passengers were ambushed while traveling in a commercial boat from Bonny Island to Port Harcourt.
Pepple, while calling on the government and relevant security agencies to beef up security along the waterways to prevent incessant attacks on the sea, said the incident had been reported to the police.
He said: “ As I speak to you right now, ten persons have been kidnapped while traveling 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 that we visited last week that this is what has happened this morning again."
The latest attack is coming a few days after the maritime union members staged a protest at the Government House, Port Harcourt, over incessant attacks on the waterways.
Pepple had called for the urgent intervention of the state government and the security agencies.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara, while addressing the union members, frowned at the attacks in the state and vowed to bring the situation under control.
While reassuring the commitment of his administration to the security of lives and property, he reiterated that he was deeply interested in ensuring proper policing of every part of the state.
A spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident, saying the investigation was ongoing to rescue those kidnapped.
" 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 ", she said.
