No fewer than ten passengers were abducted when suspected pirates attacked a passenger boat in the Bonny waterway in Rivers State on Monday.
It was gathered that the boat was travelling from Bonny to Port Harcourt at about 10km when the incident occurred.
Though details of the incident could not be ascertained as of the time of filing this report, the maritime workers union in the state has confirmed the incident.
The State Chairman of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Rivers Commercial District, Israel Pepple, confirmed the incident to newsmen in Port Harcourt on Monday.
Pepple said the abducted boat passengers were travelling from Bonny Island to Port Harcourt when the suspected pirates swooped on them.
He said the incident has been reported to the police, even as he called on the government and relevant security to beef up security in the waterways to prevent incessant attacks on the sea.
He stated, “As I speak to you right now, ten 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 that we visited last week that this is what has happened this morning again.”
This incident came less than a week after the maritime union members protested at the government house in Port Harcourt to complain about the upsurge of pirate attacks on the waterways.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the state Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident, saying the investigation was ongoing.
Iringe-Koko 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. “
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