Pirates abduct 5 passengers on Rivers waterways

At least five passengers have reportedly been abducted by suspected pirates along the Port Harcourt-Bille water route in Rivers State, sparking fresh concerns over security on Nigeria’s waterways.

The incident occurred over the weekend when the armed assailants intercepted a passenger boat and forcefully took the victims to an unknown location.

The Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria) confirmed the attack in a statement released in Port Harcourt on Monday. The group condemned the growing rate of piracy in the region and called on authorities to take urgent steps to secure the waterways.

According to the organisation, the attack was brought to light by members of its One Million Youth Volunteers Network of Human Rights Defenders and Promoters based in the Bille community.

Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, the Executive Director of YEAC, disclosed that the victims were en route from Port Harcourt to Bille Kingdom in Degema Local Government Area when the pirates struck.

The attackers, reportedly navigating a speedboat fitted with a 200-horsepower engine, intercepted the passenger vessel and abducted five individuals during the assault.

“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.

Efforts to reach the Rivers State Police Command for confirmation were unsuccessful, as calls to the Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, went unanswered.