Gunmen suspected to be pirates have reportedly kidnapped five passengers travelling along the waterways between Degema and Akuku-Toru Local Government Areas of Rivers State.
It was gathered that the boat was en route from Bille in Degema Local Government Area to Port Harcourt when it came under attack.
A source disclosed that the passengers were taken to an unknown destination by the assailants.
The Chairman of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Port Harcourt Commercial District, Isreal Pepple, confirmed the attack.
Pepple stated that the incident occurred near the Cawthorne Channel in Akuku-Toru LGA, adding that the incident had been reported to the police.
He said, “The police are aware because we reported it already. But since then we have not heard anything.
“We are calling for their unconditional release. Let the waterways be safe for our people to travel freely.”
Meanwhile, the Executive Director of Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre, YEAC, Fyneface Dumnamene, confirmed that one of the occupants, a woman, was released after she pleaded with the pirates due to her health condition.
Dumnamene also disclosed that the driver of the boat was released to transport the woman to Port Harcourt for medical care.
His statement read, “The boat that was attacked by the pirates and people taken hostage was sailing from Bille to Port Harcourt. Six people were on board but five were taken hostage.
“The sixth person, an elderly woman, is reported to have been sick and was heading to Port Harcourt for medical attention.
“The YEAC-Nigeria volunteers also reported that according to the woman and freed boat driver, the elderly woman pleaded with the pirates for her to be freed on her health and age grounds and the pirates heeded her request and freed her and the boat driver.
“The pirates are said to have thus, freed the boat driver to take the woman to Port Harcourt while they evacuated five others into their own boat and zoomed off with them.”
Dumnamene added that the kidnapped victims are all natives of Bille Kingdom.
