…Soldier-victim still missing
From Tony John, Port Harcourt
Nineteen passengers including eight West African Examination Council (WAEC) candidates kidnapped by pirates in Rivers State recently, have been freed.
They passengers, including a military personnel, totalling 20 people onboard, were travelling from Port Harcourt to Bille sea route on May 6, 2025, when the gunmen struck and whisked them away to an unknown destination – spending over 20 days in captivity.
List of the rescued victims and their states included: Benjamin Jumodiema (Bille, Rivers), Excel Agama (Bayelsa), Mpakaboari Godson Ogunga (Bille, Rivers), Glad Orlu (Bille), Prince Douglas (Abia),
Augustine Sylvanus (Degema, Rivers), Yahaya Ali (Sokoto), Ali Sale Tiga (Nasarawa), Luke Malachi (Andoni, Rivers) and Jones Saliu (Adamawa).
Others were: Ayi Sylvanus (Bayelsa), Samuel Green (Bonny, Rivers), God is Alive Moses (Andoni, Rivers), God’s Love David (Andoni, Rivers), Ruth Samuel (Okrika, Rivers), Hannah Samuel (Bille, Rivers), Mary Christopher (Akwa Ibom), Otokini Ateme (Bille, Rivers) and Haruna Bala (Benue).
Community sources said they were freed by a local security outfit operating along the Kalabari axis on Monday.
Daily Sun gathered that soldier onboard identified as Lance Corporal Salisu Ibrahim is still missing.
Ibrahim’s uniform and identity card were said to have been recovered by local divers.
A suspect identified as Victor Friday, from Akwa Ibom State, was arrested by the local security outfit.
He confessed that one Kentebe from Bayelsa State, who is now at large, is their leader.
Penultimate Monday, Bille people, took to the streets of Port Harcourt to protest the recurring sea pirate attacks particularly along the Port Harcourt-Bille route.
During the protest, they appealed to the Rivers State government and security agencies to come to their aid because of the rising cases of attacks along the same Port Harcourt-Bille sea route.
The protesters decried hardship they have been passing through as a result of the activities of sea pirates, which have worsened the economy of the coastal community and threatened their existence.