At least eleven corpses have been discovered in a boat in Jerusalem Creek, Ke clan in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Locals told theportcitynews that the victims were travellers killed by pirates who have taken over the Old Calabar River.
According to them, the bodies were discovered by security agents patrolling the area on Sunday, adding that the corpses have not been identified.
Sources knowledgeable in the matter told theportcitynews that one assault rifle was discovered together with the corpses.
But the police in Rivers in State said the incident is not verifiable.
Locals said that attacks on travellers have increased despite frequent patrol of the waterways by security agencies.
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In November, Rivers State chapter of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria embarked on a three-day warning strike in protest over the rising pirates’ attack along the waterways.
The warning strike came after pirates attacked three passenger-boats going to Port Harcourt from the Bille Kingdom, killing at least three persons and injuring many more.
An eyewitness said that a boat sent to rescue the passengers from the waterways was perforated with bullets by the pirates forcing it to sink in the middle of the river.
The source said further that one of the boats was conveying a family and guests of a wedding taking place in Port Harcourt.
He added that the gunmen forcibly hijacked the boat and their belongings while abandoning the passengers at a nearby mangrove.
The angry drivers had said during the warning strike that they have lost an uncounted number of boats to the pirates and asked the government to provide security along the waterways.
They alleged that the gunboats provided by the Rivers State Government during the launching of Operation Sting are nowhere to be found along the waterways, adding that they have are only used to escort big men.
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