Suspected sea pirates have kidnapped 12 boat passengers and their driver, along the Isaka River in Okrika local government area of Rivers State.
The passengers and their driver were heading to Bille Town in Degema local government area of the state when the incident occurred on Tuesday evening.
The pirates also hijacked two other passenger boats fully loaded with goods heading to Cawthorne Channel and Bonny Island, all in Rivers State.
Chairman of Maritime Workers Union (MWU) in Rivers State, Mr. Israel Pepple, confirmed the development to journalists in Port Harcourt.
Pepple said: “12 boat passengers and their driver are under captivity right now. Other two boats were hijacked. Three boats, one is going to Cawthorne Channel, one is going to Bille and one is going to Bonny.
“The one going to Bille was the one they captured the boat, the driver and the passengers. The other ones, they only captured the boat and the goods and chased away the drivers.”
He called on the Sole Administrator of the state, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), to beef up security, especially along the Bille and Isaka waterways.
“We are calling on the sole administrator to do something because it is getting out of hand,” Pepple stated.
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