Source Vanguard:
Fear has heightened along the creek of Bayelsa
State as suspected sea pirates have reportedly
abducted six oil workers and four policemen in
Nembe council area of the state.
The attacks, it was learnt, were carried out
separately in the troubled creek, where armed
pirates have been terrorizing passengers boats.
The gunmen, according to report, seized a
gunboat on Friday belonging to the marine
component of the Nigeria Police Force at about
1.30pm.
The gunboat, it was learnt, was escorting a barge
owned by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC)
when it came under attack.
The hoodlums, who were operating in a
speedboat, were said to have laid ambush for the
gunboat and opened fire on the policemen.
The policemen were reportedly caught unaware
by the pirates who took control of the gunboat.
The incident, which according to sources,
occurred along Santa Barbara and Nembe
waterways caused panic among travellers, many
of whom were forced to delay their trip for fear of
running into the hoodlums.
Most of the travellers were said to be heading to
Okpoama on the Atlantic fringe of Brass council
area for the funeral of former Governor Tmipre
Sylva’s uncle.
Others were forced to wait at Ogbia jetty until
they got information that the route was safe
before they embarked on their trip.
A security source said three policemen and the
gunboat operator were kidnapped after the
gunmen seize control of the boat.
“Policemen escorting Agip barge were attacked on
Friday. The gunboat and the policemen were all
taken away. The policemen were three including
the driver of the boat making them four.
“The barge and its occupants escaped because
the gunboat was the target of the pirates. This
incident happened along Santa Barbara and
Nembe route at about 1.30pm. The pirates were
after the gunboat and the police arms,” said a
security source who pleaded anonymity.
The source also confirmed that six persons
working for a company identified as Icon Xearex
were abducted at Oluasiri in Nembe in a separate
incident.
He sad the pirates attacked a boat owned by the
company in the early hours of Friday and took the
workers away.
“There was another incident at Oluasiri. As a
matter of fact six persons were kidnapped. They
were in a boat called Icon Xeareax. Six persons
were abducted from the boat belonging to that
company. The company is suspected to be an oil-
servicing company”, he said.
Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr.
Alex Akhigbe, said he was in Abuja for a
programme.
No comments: