About nine boat passengers have reportedly been rescued from a suspected sea pirate attack en route from Bonny Local Government Area (LGA) on Thursday in Rivers State.
The attack was said to have occurred near Isaka in Okrika LGA; however, 12 passengers remain unaccounted for, and search operations are ongoing.
Sources revealed that about twenty persons were said to have boarded the boat. Although the nine rescued passengers have been transported after the swift intervention of government security operatives to Port Harcourt, the state capital.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that the boat, carrying 20 passengers, took the Kilometre 10 route—an officially restricted waterway for commercial boats—before being intercepted by the armed attackers.
Chief Press Officer Boma Waribo confirmed that the Executive Chairman of Bonny LGA, Hon. Anengi Claude-Wilcox, has been briefed on the situation.
He assured that security agencies are intensifying efforts, in collaboration with neighbouring LGAs, to rescue the missing passengers and prevent further incidents.
Authorities have urged residents and the relatives of the victims to remain calm, emphasising that security measures are being reinforced to enhance safety in the region’s waterways.
As of this press time, the Rivers State Police is yet to comment on the matter.
