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From Tony John, Port Harcourt
No fewer than 11 travellers are reportedly missing, as suspected pirates hijacked a passenger boat carrying about 20 travellers along the Bonny-Okrika waterways in Rivers State on Thursday.
Out of the 20 passengers onboard, the Bonny Local Government Council said it has rescued nine of them in a frantic search to rescue others missing.
Chairman of Bonny Local Government Area, Anengi Barasua Claude-Wilcox, said the rescue was in collaboration with security agencies.
Claude-Wilcox in a statement by his media aide, Boma Waribor, on Friday, disclosed that the driver of the passenger boat went contrary to the rules to pass through kilometer 10, which is a prohibited channel for commercial boat drivers.
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 passengers.
“It should be noted that preliminary findings reveals that the Boat Driver disobeyed the rules and passed through Kilometer 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 the security agencies to arrest the situation.
Meanwhile, the Maritime Union Workers of Nigeria, Rivers State chapter, has expressed concerns about the continued pirate attacks in the state.
Chairman of the Union, Rivers Commercial District, Israel Wariboko, in his reaction, decried the recurring attacks by despite the efforts of state government to stop the trends.
He said that the pirates came out with different strategies in each operation, noting that the criminals reside in the mangrove.
Wariboko called for more security presence along the waterways to curb the incessant attacks, saying that the latest attacks had been reported to the police.
