Suspected pirates have abducted at least five passengers along the Port Harcourt-Bille waterways in Rivers State, taking them to an unknown destination.
Confirming the incident to newsmen, the Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) said the attack occurred over the weekend and was reported by members of its One Million Youth Volunteers Network of Human Rights Defenders and Promoters in the Bille community area.
Executive Director of YEAC, Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, said the victims were traveling by boat from Port Harcourt to Bille Kingdom in Degema Local Government Area when the attack occurred. The pirates, reportedly armed and operating a speedboat equipped with a 200HP engine, intercepted the passenger boat and abducted five individuals.
“As of Monday morning when the incident was reported to our centre, the whereabouts of the kidnapped passengers remained unknown,” Dr. Fyneface said
The organization has called on the Rivers State Police Command and other relevant security agencies to act swiftly to secure the safe release of the abducted passengers. It also urged Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), Sole Administrator of the state, to prioritize security and the protection of lives and property along the waterways.
Confirming the incident to LIB, the spokesperson of the Rivers state police command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, said
‘’Yes, the incident did occur. The Commissioner of Police has mandated the Officer-in-Charge of the Marine Unit, along with his team and the Tactical Team Commander, to ensure that the victims are rescued unharmed and that the perpetrators of this heinous crime are apprehended and brought to justice.”
