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Tag: sea pirates

  • Sea pirates kill nine fishermen, injure 15

    Sea pirates kill nine fishermen, injure 15

    Suspected sea pirates have killed nine fishermen and inflicted gunshot and machete injuries on 15 others on Akwa Ibom State waterways.

    The hoodlums, who have sustained attacks on fishermen in recent times, also reportedly seized over 200 wooden boats and outboard engines from their victims.

    The fishermen, mostly Yoruba of the Ilaje stock, lamented that they had being subjected to hardship due to the activities of sea pirates.

    Speaking at the weekend, spokesperson for the fishermen at Uta Ewa, Ikot Abasi Local Government, Mr. Agborabo Jeremiah Gbogbolese, told The Nation that they paid N400,000 to sea pirates on a monthly basis so that they could be allowed to fish.

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    He said: “It has become unbearable for us to comply with the imposition of stringent conditions and payment of N400,000 as demanded on a monthly basis by sea pirates before they can allow us to fish.

    “Apart from nine of us who have been killed by sea pirates, 15 fishermen also sustained severe injuries from gunshot and machete cuts.”

    Gbogbolese said the presence of operatives of Nigeria Navy Ship Jubilee (NNS), Marine Police and other security agencies on the Ikot Abasi waterways had not helped the situation.

    He called on the state and federal governments to come to their rescue, as findings showed the hoodlums operated from Otoyo and Agbama community in Andoni Local Government of River State.

  • Pirates kill two soldiers, injure three in Bayelsa waterways

    Pirates operating along the waterways of Rivers and Bayelsa states have killed three soldiers attached to the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Delta Safe (ODS).
    It was gathered that three soldiers also sustained various degrees of injuries in a gun battle with the sea robbers.
    Troops of JTF deployed at Creek 6 Houseboat Cawthorne Channel were said to have confronted the hoodlums around Ijawkiri, bordering Kalabari in Rivers and Nembe in Bayelsa, while responding to a distress call.
    The incident, which occurred a day after an operative of the Security and Civil Defence  Corps (NSCDC) was killed by armed robbers in Bayelsa, raised concern over rising attacks on security personnel.
    The armed robbers, who lost one of their men in a gun battle with the NSCDC, further attacked a police checkpoint along Kolo, in Ogbia, Bayelsa, stole AK47 riffles after allegedly disarming policemen on duty.
    The JTF Media Coordinator, Maj. Abubakar Ibrahim, confirmed the killing of the soldiers saying efforts were being made to apprehend the killers.
    He, however, said troops on patrol around Iyalama, Adama axis in Rivers, discovered and destroyed 13 illegal refineries.
    He said: “Sadly, our troops deployed at Creek 6 Houseboat Cawthorne Channel while responding to a distress call of sea robbers attack around Ijawkiri general area engaged heavily armed sea robbers. 
    “Unfortunately, two gallant soldiers exhibited highest point of patriotism by paying supreme price, while three others sustained gunshot injuries. Effort is ongoing by the JTF to track and apprehend the criminals”.
    It was, however, learnt that security formations in the state met to re-strategise on how to work in synergy to curb criminal activities. 
    ‎The state’s Commissioner of Police, Asuquo Amba, reportedly met with heads of the Air force, JTF, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Prison Service (NPS) and Department of State Service (DSS).

    ‎Amba at the meeting which held in the Police Officers’ Mess called for effective collaborations to reduce crimes.

    He also appealed to the sister agencies to complement one another instead of working in cross purposes adding that     team work would promote peace, unity and progress .
    He attributed decrease in crime rate in the state to collaboration of sister security agencies and lauded security commanders for sustaining peace and unity among personnel.
    ‎Amba decried internal rivalries among sister organisations and appealed to security commanders to advise their personnel on the need for collaboration.

    The police boss also clarified the attack on police checkpoint where hoodlums reportedly disarmed policemen on duty.
    He said: “On 12 April, 2017,at about 0200hrs a police patrol team was attacked by unknown gunmen during a routine patrol along Otuasega road.
    “The Policemen engaged the gunmen in a gun duel, during which a policeman’s riffle was lost to the hoodlums. The gunmen escaped into the bush with gunshots injuries. Other patrol teams were alerted.
    “Consequently, the gunmen engaged personnel of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps on the same road. A civil defence officer and one of the gunmen died.
    “One pump action riffle  was recovered from the gunmen. Efforts have been intensified to arrest the fleeing suspects”.

  • Sea pirates kill four marine policemen

    Sea pirates have killed four policemen after hijacking their gunboat on routine patrol of the Abonnema waterways.

    The bodies of the policemen have been recovered.

    The Nation gathered that the gunboat was attacked shortly after departing Abonnema wharf jetty in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.

    A source disclosed that the hijacked gunboat left the jetty in company of another gunboat, which has since returned from the patrol.

    According to the security source, preliminary investigation indicated that the gunboat was attacked by militants.

    The source said a body was  found on Monday, adding that it was discovered that the victim had gunshot wounds, which further confirmed the involvement of militants.

    The remaining bodies were recovered yesterday. The gunboat is yet to be found.

    The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Omoni Nnamdi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), could not be reached for comments.

    Three bodies of the soldiers who drowned in Bayelsa have been recovered by a combined rescue team of troops and community folks.

    Despite high tide and disturbing current, the rescuers were said to have retrieved two bodies on Monday and one on Tuesday morning.

    The body recovered on Tuesday was said to have floated far away from the scene of the incident. The team was said to be searching for the fourth body.

    Four soldiers were reported drowned. Eight others were rescued after their gunboat capsized on Brass waterways.

    The operation, which is being coordinated by the 2 Brigade, Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, was designed by the military to equip the amphibious and internal security operations in the riverine areas against the activities of militants.

    Niger Delta communities and their leaders have been warned against harbouring militants and criminals.

    The Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide, the umbrella body of Ijaw Youths which issued the warning, also sympathised with the military over the drowning of four soldiers undertaking “Operation Crocodile Smile” in Brass waters, Brass Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.

    Speaking in Yenagoa, IYC President Mr. Udengs Eradiri said they were in support of military operations aimed at fishing out militants and criminals from the creeks.

    Eradiri warned communities and their leaders to assist the authorities in identifying criminals.

    He said criminals were acting contrary to the Ijaw struggle, adding that those who rape, kidnap, kill, rob and maim innocent civilians and soldiers deserved no place in communities.

    He said: “Our community women are raped and all kinds of crimes including kidnapping, go on in the creeks. So, if the military is going in to clean up those criminal elements, then they will have our support.

    “We use this opportunity to call on communities to stop harbouring criminal elements. There is no community which will say they don’t know these boys. These are boys who steal, rape innocent people and they come from communities. This is a call for the community.

    “If you are a leader in the community and you want to protect your people, then every effort must be made to support the authorities to fish out criminal elements. These people are not doing any good to us.

    “They are rather spoiling genuine agitations for Ijaw people. You see them killing innocent soldiers. You see them kidnapping, harassing and maiming innocent people. They do all manner of things that are alien to the Ijaw agitation. The military will have our full support if they have come to fish out criminal elements.”

    Eradiri advised the military to be prepared for an operation like the “Crocodile Smile” before delving into the creeks to avoid a repeat of the incident that led to death of the soldiers.

    He said: “We sympathise with the military and the families of the soldiers that lost their lives in the ‘Operation Crocodile Smile’. It is very unfortunate. But it further underscores the fact that the military needs to be properly prepared for an operation like this.

    “We don’t see anything wrong for military mobilising for operations, but we would have had more peace if the government channels the resources they are using to undertake such operations to construction and economic activities in the region.”

    The IYC boss urged the government to immediately approve the Brass Fertilizer Project as a way of stimulating the economy of the region and tackling restiveness.

    He said the project would absorb over 12,000 workforce and take youths out of the creeks.

    Bayelsa State Chairman of the National Maritime Union Mr. Lloyd Sese, claimed that the boat accident was caused by poor logistics and the use of low capacity engine boats in the military operation.

    He said the preliminary investigations by the union revealed that the accident would have been avoided if adequate logistics and high engine capacity boats had been provided.

    He said: “We call on the military authorities to consult the Maritime Union for logistics and transport during such movements. While we commiserate with them on the loss of their men, we call on them to consult those involved in the day-to-day commercial activities along the creeks and the waterways.”

     

  • Sea pirates kidnap 8 fishermen in A/Ibom, says council boss

    Sea pirates kidnap 8 fishermen in A/Ibom, says council boss

    • Police: We are not aware of incident

    Eight fishermen have been kidnapped by sea pirates in Ibeno, Akwa Ibom, the transitional chairman of Ibeno local government area, Chief Williams Mkpah, said yesterday.

    Six of them were abducted on Thursday and two on Friday morning in the Ibeno creeks, Mkpah told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

    “As I am speaking sea pirates is intensifying in the Ibeno community and they want to ensure that that they stop fishermen from going to sea for fishing,” he said.

    Mkpah said that the sea pirates were demanding millions of naira as ransom from the fishermen before releasing them.

    He explained that the fishermen were made to pay levies by the sea pirates before they go for fishing in the area.

    He alleged that “they have informants in our communities, who will inform them of the take off of a particular fisherman and possible routes where they are going for fishing.

    “One of them was caught in Eket in the process of coming to collect ransom for somebody. One of the Ibeno boys made us to track him.

    “And he has made useful statement to the police but as I speak now I don’t know what the Police Command in Uyo is doing about it.

    “Since the suspect was caught, the issue of sea pirates increased seriously and they are now demanding for their man.

    “Since we don’t want to release their man, they have now resorted to kidnapping of every fisherman,’’ Mkpah said.

    Mkpah asked security operatives to be more proactive in combating sea piracy in the state.

    “In a very short while we will declare hunger strike in this community because when we can no longer go to sea, we will all be starving.

    “If the security in this state cannot rise to the challenge of the people of Ibeno and salvage us from this menace, Ibeno people will die of hunger,’’ he said.

    He said that he has officially written to security operatives in the state but got no response.

    However, the Public Relations Officer of the Police Command in Akwa Ibom, ASP Cordelia Nwawe, said the command was unaware of the kidnap of the eight fishermen in Ibeno.

    “They should make an official reports to the Akwa Ibom Command for proper investigations.

    “They should officially tell the police. So, I don’t have the reports and I can’t comment on it,’’ Nwawe said.

     

  • Pirates abduct eight fishermen in Akwa Ibom

    The Transitional Chairman of Ibeno local government area of Akwa Ibom, Chief Williams Mkpah, on Saturday said at least eight fishermen have been abducted by sea pirates in the area.

    Mkpah disclosed this in a chat with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibeno.

    He said the area is prone to  sea pirates’ activities.

    “Two nights ago (Thursday) six fishermen were kidnapped. Two were also abducted on Friday morning in the creeks of Ibeno and its environs.

    “As I am speaking now they (sea pirates) have intensified their activities in Ibeno community and they want to stop fishermen from going to sea for fishing,’’ he told NAN.

    Mkpah said the pirates were demanding huge ransom from the fishermen before releasing them.

     

  • Naval team rescues 13 foreigners in Rivers

    Naval team rescues 13 foreigners in Rivers

    The Nigerian Navy has foiled an attempt by suspected sea pirates to hijack and abduct 13 foreign nationals on board a merchant ship leaving Nigeria for Cameroon.

    Briefing journalists on Friday at Bonny, Rivers, Capt. Mustapha Hassan, the Commanding Officer of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Nwamba, who led the rescue operation, said the 13 foreigners were rescued unharmed.

    Hassan said the crew members, including the ship’s captain, were of mixed nationalities consisting of seven Philippinos, two Romanians, one Russian, one Polish, one Indian and one Croatian.

    “On Aug. 17, MT Vectis Osprey, a British ship, was attacked by sea pirates about 20 nautical miles off the coast of Bonny Island Fairway Bouy in Rivers.

    “We got a distress alert from the operations centre at the naval headquarters which dispatched NNS Nwamba with NNS Okpabana to shadow the operation.

    “On getting the distress call, we immediately set course to intercept and rescue the merchant ship from hijack by sea pirates.

    “On arrival, the special forces attacked the nine heavily armed pirates who jumped into the sea and escaped, apparently due to superior gunfire and tactical awareness of troops.

    “The operation was largely successful as all 13 foreign crew members, including the captain, are safe and unhurt while cargo onboard the ship is intact,” he said.

    Hassan said that troops were unable to apprehend the pirates due to poor visibility partly caused by torrential rain on the day of the rescue.

    He said that the navy under the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Ibok-Ete Ibas, remained committed to the safety of the nation’s waterways and maritime environment.

    Hassan added that the rescue was successful due to ongoing operation code-named “Tsare Teku II” which sought to tackle oil theft, illegal bunkering and pirate attacks on the waterways.

    “This operation launched on July 23 by the CNS has drastically reduced the spate of sea piracy and robbery attacks in our maritime environment while improving our response to distress calls,’’ he said.

    Also speaking, the Captain of MT Vectis Osprey, Mr Sobol Evgeny, a Russian, said the pirates sailed on a “blue boat” and were fully armed with AK-47 assault rifles.

    Evgeny said that his crew members used every laid down procedure but couldn’t prevent the pirates from boarding their vessel.

    “On realising that we couldn’t stop the pirates from boarding our ship, we immediately locked ourselves inside the ship citadel (safe room) and thereafter sent distress calls to the Nigerian Navy.

    “The navy responded promptly and rescued us – and if not for their quick response, we would have been taken hostage or worse killed,” he said.

    Evgeny urged the navy to escort merchant ships to between 30 nautical miles and 50 nautical miles away from shore, adding that the pirates would not be able to launch attack on such distance.

    The merchant ship (MT Vectis Osprey) registered in Britain came into Nigeria from Malabo on Aug. 10 with general cargo.

    After discharging its cargo, it set sail for Douala, Cameroon on Aug. 17 but was attacked by nine heavily-armed sea pirates who boarded it with the intent to take the crew members hostage.

  • Navy foils pirates’ attack on oil tanker

    Navy foils pirates’ attack on oil tanker

    Operatives of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) NWAMBA have foiled attempt by sea pirates to hijack a British Merchant Vessel, MT VECTIS OSPREY.

    The operatives while responding to a distress call at about 20 nautical miles offshore of Bonny, were said to have engaged the pirates who were about boarding the vessel.

    It was gathered that the ship’s crew had sent a distressed call to Naval Regional Maritime Awareness Centre (RMAC) through the International Maritime Bureau (IMB), noting the service of pirates attack.

    Consequently, NNS NWAMBA was deployed to the scene, where it engaged the pirates in a gunduel forcing them to flee.

    Confirming the rescue, the Director, Naval Information, Commodore Chris Ezekobe it occurred on Wednesday, adding that the navy’s Special Forces boarded the vessel and rescued the crew members who locked themselves in a citadel.

    “The crew and cargo of MT VECTIS OSPREY are safe while investigation has also commenced in order to unravel the circumstances of the attempted hijack, especially with regards to the current trend of involvement of crew members in attacks on their own vessels.

    “Ship owners are hereby advised to profile their crew before embarking them onboard to avoid situations in which some disgruntled crew members stage-manage attacks on their own vessels.

    “The Chief of the Naval Staff Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas is poised to eliminate all forms of criminal activities in the maritime domain, hence several initiatives have been made in this regard,” he said.