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Tag: pirates

  • Pirates, police battle in Bayelsa

    •Hoodlums feared killed

    Some pirates were ‘killed’ yesterday morning in a gun battle with the police in Bayelsa State.

    Five pirates were said to have attacked the policemen attached to an oil rig in Gbarain, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.

    Some of the policemen were said to have sustained minor injuries. The hoodlums lost some of their members; others fled with injuries.

    It was gathered that the pirates stormed the rig operated by Lone Star Drilling Company at 2am.

    A security source, who pleaded for anonymity, said immediately they got to the  area, the pirates opened fire.

    He said the pirates erroneously thought that the policemen on duty were sleeping.

    “Their main target was to remove the weapons attached to a gunboat used to protect the rig. They wanted to steal the guns in the boat.”

    The source said the policemen repelled the attack.

    “All l can tell you is that some of the pirates must have been hit by the police bullets.

    “They fell in the river and it is believed that those who were hit must have fallen into the river. It is expected that their bodies would float after two days.

    “The pirates came to remove the weapons, very sophisticated ones, on the gunboat.

    “They came with a generator and electric filer which they intended to use to remove the weapons. Unfortunately, they were repelled by the policemen guarding the rig.

    “In fact, I was proud of the way the police were able to repel them. I think that will send a signal to others that it is no longer business as usual.”

    But it was learnt that despite the reported killing of some of the bandits, the hoodlums reinforced and came back at 6am.

    The policemen, who were said to have remained vigilant, engaged them in another round of gun duel and forced them out of the area.

    Police Commissioner Hilary Opara said the pirates attacked the rig at Gbarain with the intention of cutting the chain used to secure the gunboat to the rig.

    He said if they had succeeded, they would have stolen the gunboat and eventually removed the police guns.

    The commissioner said the suspected pirates, who came on a speedboat, opened fire first on his men.

    Opara, however, could not confirm if any of the pirates died.

    He said: “If such happened, in no distant time, their bodies would surely float on the water.

    “The pirates came with electric filer and a generator. Their aim was to use the electric filer to severe the chain used for securing the gunboat to the rig.

    “Unfortunately, the policemen attached to the rig were there. After serious exchange of fire, the pirates abandoned the rig.

    “The pirates again came back around 6 am, probably thinking our men had gone. When they sighted our men, they ran back and some swam in the river to escape.”

  • Pirates attack boat in Bayelsa

    Pirates attack boat in Bayelsa

    Pirates ambushed yesterday a passenger boat on the Nembe-Brass waterways in Bayelsa State.

    The bandits raided the boat at Obama Rice Farm, an area located between Brass and Nembe.

    The incident, which occurred at 10am, temporarily halted movement of goods and passengers on the waterways.

    A source said the pirates robbed their victims of their phones, money, jewelries and other valuables. No life was lost in the incident.

    “The attack only created fears among travellers and traders and stopped movement of boats on the waterways. The passengers of the attacked boats refused to embark on their journey again.

    “It took the intervention of a patrol boat of the Joint Task Force to convince them to begin their journey again,” he said.

    The Commissioner of Police, Hilary Opara, said gunboats were immediately deployed in the area.

  • Akpabio backs Navy’s war against pirates

    Akpabio backs Navy’s war against pirates

    The Akwa Ibom State Government has promised to support the Navy on its onslaught against oil thieves and sea pirates on the waterways.

    Governor Godswill Akpabio gave the pledge when the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Harry Ngonadi, visited him at the Governor’s Office in Uyo, the state capital.

    Akpabio praised the FOC as the pioneer Commander of Jubilee Naval Base at Ikot Abasi, saying: ”When you came to Akwa Ibom as pioneer Commander of Jubilee, you helped us to fight bunkering and illegal refineries along the shorelines to a standstill.

    “You have many states under your command, but I want to assure you that this is one state that you will enjoy the greatest cooperation from for mobilising your men and brought that menace to an end.

    “We are very proud of men in uniform that have been posted to Akwa Ibom State. We are happy the way you have cooperated to ensure the security of life and property.”

    The governor prayed for the protection of Naval officers in the discharge of their duties. He reminded Ngonadi of the need to establish a Naval Secondary School in the state. “We have applied to the Chief of Naval Staff to give us one secondary school in Ikot Abasi, and I hope the Flag Officer will follow up so that our children can begin to wear this uniform at tender age,” he said.

    Ngonadi thanked Akpabio for supporting the Nigerian Navy.

    He said: “I came in here as the pioneer commander of Jubilee Naval Base in Ikot Abasi and that Jubilee is what is today because of the uncommon nature of the governor. I have come to pay this courtesy call and register my presence here as the Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command and to solicit again your cooperation as usual.”

    He said the planned Ibaka Industrial City would open up the state, stressing the need for the government to factor in the Navy for security purpose.

    “The Ibaka project is a gigantic project that would open up the potentials of Akwa Ibom State. In doing that, I want to solicit that the Nigerian Navy be factored into it. Whatever we are doing, we must put in place security architecture and factor it into whatever we are doing so that as soon as that project takes off we would not have security issues to contend with,” he said.

  • Four suspected pirates for trial

    The four suspected pirates, who hijacked an oil vessel, MT Norte, car-rying 17,000 metric tons of Petrol Motor Spirit (PMS) in the Gulf of Guinea on August 15, will soon be presented to appropriate quarters for prosecution.

    Speaking with reporters during his tour of some facilities of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Delta State, the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba, said the Navy had concluded investigation on the suspects.

    The vessel was saved by five naval gunboats and NNS OBULA from the Central and Western Naval Command on August 17.

    In the rescue operation, 12 of the 16 sea pirates were allegedly killed in a gun duel and four others were arrested.

    Giving an insight into how the ship was rescued, the Flag Officer Commanding the Central Naval Command, Rear Admiral Sidi-Ali Hassan, said in Yenagoa that upon receiving the report, the Navy alerted NNS Andoni and NNS Ikot Abasi.

    Six gun boats and NNS Delta in Warri and the Naval operation base in Egweama, Brass in Yenagoa were deployed in the rescue operation.

    Hassan said: “Eight NN vessels were used in pursuit of the hijacked MT Norte with 16 suspected pirates on board. The participating ships eventually shadowed the hijacked vessel and forced her back into Nigerian waters.”

  • ‘Days of pirates, kidnappers are numbered on our waterways’

    ‘Days of pirates, kidnappers are numbered on our waterways’

    How has the government been able to tackle criminality in Bayelsa State?

    We are taking security in Bayelsa to the next level. By this l mean taking security to the doorsteps of the citizenry of Bayelsa and ensuring that for every incident, there is concerted swift and robust response that will be followed through to a logical conclusion. When incident takes place and when it is fresh, you expect a great deall of response.

    But for a lot reasons, issues of logistics have had to hinder the swift movement of security agencies. We know for a fact that they are good, at least they have proved it in a lot of operations within and outside Nigeria. Their inability to respond swiftly at times is as a result of the logistics available for them to respond.

    Appreciate that in Bayelsa State, the governor on coming in accorded great importance to the Issue of security, understanding the fact that we needed to tackle the issue of insecurity in Bayelsa to be able to deliver those things that he has promised in his campaign. If you don’t deal with the issue of insecurity of course the constructions that are going on wasn’t going to be possible.

    So, he accorded importance to security based on which the special security task force was set up. Also acquisitions were made to improve on the logistic holding of the security agencies which cut across the navy, the police, the SSS, the air force, the NDLEA and the rest. So, by that the security agencies are also trying to give value to the acquisitions. They are responding using those same acquisitions. They respond swiftly. The governor dealt with the issues of their morale and welfare, improving the psyche as it were.

    All of these have also made the security agencies to respond swiftly to security incidents. For us, it is not about the criminals, it is about us because you can’t stop people from planning evil but what is important and germane here is the response capability of security agencies. That is what we are building on so that we can respond swiftly to any security incident.

    Thereafter, the criminals will have to make a personal decision not to be involved in these things. Our mandate and commitment is to ensure that we rid Bayelsa of criminals. We earnestly must empower security agencies and position them to be able to carry out their statutory responsibilities in such a way that meets the expectations of the citizenry.

    Despite successes recorded on land, the waterways are notorious for crimes. What is the government doing to make the waterways safe?

    Security package basically is designed to cover the entire state. On land we have recorded outstanding successes. But l can also tell you that in waterways and creeks we have also recorded good successes. However we have not got the level of success that we are aspiring to.

    A lot of areas are still vulnerable in the waterways. Now why have we not recorded that same level of successes in the waterways? We have not because the platforms required like the patrol crafts have not been sufficiently acquired. If we have on land well over 60 patrol vehicles representing 20 per cent of the state then the other 60 per cent will require more than that number of operational platforms.

    That is being worked out. Based on that, the governor has directed that all the marine assets in the state police command must be up and running and he has approved quite amount of money to ensure that all the patrol crafts that were almost moribund were refurbished and that job is ongoing. l can tell you. Before now, he repaired about eight of their boats so additional six are being worked on. Added to them are the 15 patrol boats that we had procured. That is what we ‘re using for operations in the waterways.

    The plan for the waterways is very robust and comprehensive and one that can bring issues of oil theft and vandalism to a standstill. So, we are working towards that. Acquisition of platforms is ongoing and to appreciate the fact that one operational platform on water is almost about 10 patrol vehicles on land. Also maintaining water operations is quite enormous. We are ensuring that things are ready for us to launch fully into the waterways. Soon, the criminality in the waterways will be brought to a standstill. I can guarantee you that.

    Operation Door Akpo is a special security outfit of the state government. How do you regulate the squad to avoid incidents of human rights breaches?

    We view the activities of Door Akpo daily. It has legal team headed by no less a personality than the Special Adviser, Legal. About five other lawyers are also in the team. Then we have an investigative team that is headed by an Assistant Superintendent of Police who is also a lawyer. On daily basis, they ensure that they go to the records and anybody who has no business of being there is pushed out.

    Before the troops go out on a daily basis, the deputy commissioner of police who was originally posted to Bayelsa State as a commander of Door Akpo before he was promoted to the DCO briefs the teams. Operations are also coordinated from the control room.

    For everything, they report to us. All of that is done to ensure that innocent people are not unduly punished for what they don’t know. Criminals have even said a lot of times that Doo Akpo responds very quick and fast but what the don’t do is manhandling people. Doo Akpo teams have been harassed by several people. I have repaired Door Akpo vehicles about two that were shattered by criminals. You can’t march operation Door Akpo to any task force that had been set up anywhere. Their response time is about two minutes.

    What is the chain of command in Door Akpo?

    Door Akpo has three levels of command. One is executive control which is exercised by His Excellency, the Governor delegated to me the Special Adviser on Security. The second level is the operational level of control handled by the Commissioner of Police and Commander Door Akpo. The last and most important level of command is the citizenry. So as it were, somebody can place a distress call or gets across to Door Akpo face to face to report and incident.

    By so doing, the citizenry is the one controlling Door Akpo. And it is a rule that they must respond to every single case. They are almost like robot. It is swift. They apprehend and drop at the nearest police station and go back to their base. The beat locations are controlled from the coordination centre. They are swift even in disciplinary aspect. When you are caught on issues of bribery and corruption and it is investigated and confirmed, the next day you are going.

    How do we discourage Bayelsa youths from engaging in criminality?

    First and foremost, they need to realise that criminality does not pay. But life is a choice. What you choose today will determine your tomorrow. It is important for them to choose the path of productivity, path of rebuilding Bayelsa rather than the destructive path they are used to. They who efforts are being made by the restoration government to ensure that they can be meaningful parties of tomorrow Bayelsa. All that we are song is for them. They should be part of this process by making themselves relevant and becoming part of the retraining process that is taking place all round the place.

  • JTF nabs 3 sea robbers

    • Arrests 40 suspected oil thieves
    • Destroys 25 illegal refineries

    The Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Pulo Shield, has apprehended three-man gang of sea robbers along Twene in Torah community, Ikwerre Local Government Area, Rivers State.

    The Media Coordinator, JTF, Lt. Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, said the sea bandits were armed with three AK47 rifles when operatives of the outfit arrested them.

    Apart from the rifles, he said the operatives recovered 177 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition from the robbers.

    He said the robbers were floating on a double-75 horsepower speedboat, waiting for their targets when luck ran out on them.

    He said: “The sea robbers were arrested while prowling the waterways for opportunity targets.”

    According to him,  the patrol troops also apprehended six suspected thieves siphoning oil from Well Head 26 located at Ekuluma 11.

    He said operatives of the outfit arrested 40 suspected oil thieves and destroyed 25 illegal refineries in various patrol operations — 24 of the suspects were nabbed in Delta State by troops of 3 and 19 battalions covering the Sector 1 area of responsibility of the JTF.

    Nwachukwu said they were arrested at Mosagor Sapele Road, Egwu 1, Opumami, Asiagbere Creek in Gbekebor, Okufoma and Okwuagbede Communities in Ethiope West, Warri South ,Warri North and Okpe Local  Government Areas of the state.

    “The patrol troops also scuttled seven illegal crude oil distillation sites and 17 Cotonou boats, 16 steel reservoirs, 29 large plastic reservoirs and 3 welding machines used by the oil thieves for their illicit operation”, he said.

    In a similar operation in Bayelsa State, he said troops of 343 Regiment and 5 Battalion of Sector 2 of the JTF patrolling the waterways arrested 10 suspected vandals.

    He said they were apprehended at Bolbo, Opigni and Mansonkiri in Brass Local Government Area of the state while they were attempting to hack into AGIP pipeline in Nembe.

    “The suspects were operating with a pumping machine, 15 angle iron, 5 metal pipes and other assorted pipeline vandalism equipment. The troops further scuttled 18 illegal oil distillation sites and 9 Cotonou boats conveying illegally stolen crude oil.”

    He said the suspects would be handed over to prosecuting agencies after undergoing preliminary investigations.

  • Pirates kill nine-year-old in Bayelsa

    Pirates operating in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State have killed a nine-year old pupil of Gbaraun Community Primary School.

    The bandits were said to have shot the girl dead while operating on the waterways of the community on Tuesday.

    The incident, it was learnt, led to a protest in the community by youths, who apprehended a suspect.

    The suspect was alleged to have facilitated the movement of the pirates into the area.

    The gunmen were said to have moved into the community from Ikebiri.

    Sources said the pirates shot sporadically into the air while snatching a speedboat, adding that the girl was shot when she peeped to know the cause of the gunshots.

    The father of the victim, identified as Ziebidei, was said to have reported the incident to the police.

    “The pirates shot the girl at Gbaraun in Southern Ijaw. They were suspected to have come from Ikebiri community.

    “One suspect was arrested. The body has been deposited at the mortuary of the Federal Medical Centre”, a source said.

  • Four suspected pirates feared dead

    Four suspected sea pirates were yesterday feared dead after a shootout with men of the NNS Victory of the Nigerian Navy in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.

    One of the naval officers, Seaman, Barau Ibrahim, suffered a gunshot wound on his hip.

    The navy succeeded in capturing one of the suspected sea pirates, who gave his name as Bassey Bassey, and brought him to the NNS Victory base.

    The leader of the navy team, Lt. Linus Osuman, said about 8:30am yesterday, as they were escorting a Cameroonian vessel, the BRENDA CORLETT, in their gunboat, they came across a couple of speed boats around Parrot Island near the Oron Bar.

    He said immediately the occupants of the boats, who they suspected wanted to rob the vessel, saw the naval team, they took off.

    Lt. Osuman said they pursued the suspected pirates and one of the boats disappeared into the creeks, adding that the other one developed engine problem and broke down.

    He said when they were approaching the boat that had broken down, seven men rose from the boat and shot them with AK47 rifles.

    Lt. Osuman said they fired back and in the process, four of the robbers were hit and they fell into the river, adding that others escaped by jumping into the river.

    He said they, however, apprehended one of them.

    “The captured robber had charms tied all over him,” he said.

    Lt. Osuman said their boats would return to the scene to see if they would recover anything.

    The Commander of the NNS Victory, Commodore James Oluwole, said they patrolled the waterway everyday.

  • Navy parades four suspected pirates

    Navy parades four suspected pirates

    The Navy yesterday paraded paraded four suspected pirates in Lagos, who allegedly hijacked an oil vessel, MV Crow at the Escravos on August 14.

    They were paraded a few days after 12 of a 16-man gang of pirates who allegedly hijacked a vessel, MT Norde, loaded with petroleum products were killed in Warri, Delta State.

    The suspects, according to the Commander Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Beecroft, Commodore Chris Ezekobe, were arrested in Ondo State following a tip off from Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

    While parading the suspects at the Defence Jetty, Marina, Ezekoba said the vessel was pursued to Aiyetoro, Ondo State.

    He said: “When we circled her, there was no sign of life on board. We called and radioed severally but there was no response.

    “Of course, our suspicion was aroused and then we fired a barrage of shots into the air. Once they heard the shots, the sea robbers came out and threw their weapons into the water.”

    On how the navy intends to maintain the tempo and ensure the nation’s waters were safe, he said: “If the acquisition of more vessels are maintained, our waters would be safer. The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) has listed our country as the second next to Somalia and we are working assiduously to change that perception.

    “But it is pertinent to state that our challenge in Nigeria is sea robbery as opposed to piracy which is obtained in Somalia.

    “We have over 6000 creeks between Lagos to Calabar and it is easier for the sea robbers to attack and slip back to the creeks.”

    However, the leader of the gang, Adekunle Adeboye, who claimed it was his first operation, said the four suspects were deployed by their master known as General.

    “General had sent us from Igbokoda to go and hijack oil vessels. This was my very first operation and I was recruited this month. “The ‘General’ promised us money if we succeed in hijacking and emptying an oil vessel,” Adeboye said.

    On how they intercepted the vessel and took the nine-man crew hostage, another suspect, Segun Oyo said they trailed the barge and overpowered the crew.

    He said: “We trailed the barge and then used our weapons to overpower them. We did not shoot anyone rather we threatened them with the guns and weapons we had on us.

    “We were able to overpower them though they had crowd because of our weapons.”

    Oyo said he would advise his colleagues to desist from crimes if he was released.

     

  • Navy kills 12 suspected pirates

    Navy has killed sea pirates, who specialised in hijacking oil vessels off the coast of Nigerian waters.

    Twelve of them were killed on Saturday night in a gun battle with the Navy on the waterways of the region, close to Excravos in Warri, Delta State.

    Sixteen bandits were said to have hijacked an oil vessel, MT NORTE, loaded with 17,000 metric tonnes of Petrol Motor Spirit (PMS), off Nigerian waters in the Gulf of Guinea.

    Four of them were captured in a coordinated operation involving the three naval commands and the air force.

    The leader of the gang, identified as Ben, was reportedly killed in the gun duel, which lasted over 30 minutes.

    The naval officers were said to be trailing the pirates and the hijacked ship four days before the operation.

    It was learnt that signals were sent to the Presidency, which alerted the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Dele Ezeoba, immediately the ship was stolen.

    He was said to have ordered the commands to rescue the vessel and arrest the suspects.

    The ship, with imported fuel, was reported to be heading for the Lagos harbour.

    The Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear-Admiral I.E. Ibas, despatched two vessels, NNS ANDONI and NNS IKOT ABAS, to pursue the pirates.

    To ensure a coordinated response, the Flag Officer Commanding, Central Naval Command, Rear-Admiral Sidi-Ali Usman, ordered NNS Delta in Warri, Delta State and the Forward Operation Base FORMOSO at Egweama Brass to despatch more vessels.

    Usman confirmed the incident, saying one of the gunboats involved in the rescue was riddled with bullets.

    He said FOB FORMOSO despatched two newly- acquired boats, NNS BADAGRY and NNS BOMADI, and NNS Delta ordered NNS OBULA to join the rescue.

    He said eight naval vessels encircled the hijacked ship and the pirates.

    Said he: “The shadowing of the vessel, MT NORTE, continued throughout the night of August 16 till Saturday evening.

    Rear-Admiral Usman said about 7pm on Saturday, the pirates disembarked, having observed the presence of naval boats.

    He said: “On arrival at the drop off point, the militants refused to disembark from the vessel as earlier agreed. They were obviously praying for darkness to set in.

    “They finally agreed to disembark from the vessel about 2045hrs on the condition that only one NNS vessel would remain in the vicinity of MT NORTE.

    “This request was ignored as the NN vessels were asked to darken ship. Thereafter, 16 pirates disembarked from the vessel instead of the 20 that were earlier claimed to be on board.

    “The captain also confirmed that no militant was left onboard and no crew member of the MT NORTE was taken hostage. After disembarking, the hijackers moved towards the coastline.

    “NNS BADAGRY engaged the boat in a hot pursuit. Efforts to engage the hijackers to stop and surrender proved abortive as they engaged NNS BADAGRY in a gun battle.”

    Usman said the pirates were later overpowered and four of them surrendered.

    “It was discovered that most of the pirates were killed in the cross-fire. The four survivors, their belongings and three AK47 rifles, with about six magazines of 120 rounds of ammunition were recovered.

    “However, the NN gunboats were unable to recover the bodies of the pirates, as the speedboats sank following the damage caused during the gun battle,” he said.

    According to him, the operatives only took the photographs of the dead.

    He attributed the success of the operation to the coordinated nature of the response by the participating units and commands.

    “The success of the operation can be attributed to NN’s efforts towards the achievements of the Chief of Naval Staff’s strategic guidance in line with the transformation agenda of the Federal Government within the context of Vision 2020.”