Pirates Attack Passenger Boats, Kill Two

Suspected pirates have attacked two passenger boats along the coastal waters of Aru-Gbanaama and Polokiri in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, leaving two dead and three others missing.

Ekohotblog gathered the passengers were returning from a carnival in Dema Okekpe community to Bonny main town in the evening when the hoodlums intercepted the boat and attacked its occupants with weapons on January 5th, 2021.

According to a source who chose to be unknown said the first boat was attacked when the helmsman stopped midway to remove debris from the engine, with the pirates hitting two of the dead victims several times with paddles and machetes in the head and other parts of their body, while other occupants of the boat were pushed into the river.

Not knowing the danger ahead, the source disclosed that the second boat approached the scene and was also attacked before the helmsman could make a quick u-turn with most of the passengers jumping into the water when they saw the injuries inflicted on the travelers on the other boat.

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“They were using paddle, machetes, and bottles to hit them while they were struggling for their lives. They now pushed the other passengers into the water. If not for the marine the police and JTF, more people would have died,” he added.

The Chairman, Bonny LGA, Rogers Irimagha, who confirmed the incident in a telephone chat, called on people of the area to remain calm, adding that the council was handling the case involving the missing persons.

“I will talk to the people of Bonny Local Government to have faith in the leadership of our government. As I speak to you, we are working with the security agencies to ensure that we put a final stop to this ugly incident that we have been experiencing.

The council boss, however, expressed sympathy with families of those who lost their loved ones and assured them that the local government is working with the security agencies to curtail pirates attacks in Bonny.