House Committee report ‘indicts’ NIMASA, Navy

By Muyiwa Lucas

The House of Representatives report of the Ad-hoc Committee to determine why the Warri, Port Harcourt, Onne, Calabar and Onitsha Ports complexes are not being put to maximal use has concluded its findings.

In a 16-page report, the 17- member committee blamed the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigerian Navy for not providing adequate security to vessels and cargoes going to the ports in the zone.

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Source: thenationonlineng.net

3 feared dead in Rivers sea pirate attack

Victor Edozie

Three persons are feared dead when gunmen suspected to be sea pirates in the early hours of Saturday attacked three passengers boats en-route Port Harcourt from Billie in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Eyewitness account had it that the gunmen, who attacked the boats separately along the route, also carted away properties belonging to passengers.

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Source: dailytrust.com.ng

Rivers Police keep mum 24 hours after pirates hijack boats

Okafor Ofiebor

More than 24 hours after daredevil gunmen suspected to be Sea pirates at about noon on Thursday hijacked two boats along Port Harcourt-Bonny route, the Rivers State Police Command is yet to comment on the whereabouts of about 24 passengers who were taken into unknown destinations in the mangroves.

Curiously too, the Rivers Government has also not reacted to to hijack and eventual disappearance of the 24 passengers.

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Source: pmnewsnigeria.com

Pirates hijack 2 boats with 24 passengers in Rivers

Okafor Ofiebor

Sea pirates at about noon today, Thursday, September 26, hijacked two boats on the Port Harcourt-Bonny waterways, whisking away the 24 passengers inside the boats.

An Eyewitness, Ezekiel Hart, and an indigene of Bonny, said the two boats took off from Port Harcourt jetty and were fully loaded passengers and goods. He said the passengers and crew were sailing smoothly until the armed pirates ambushed them at a location on the high seas called “Yellow Platform”.

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Source: thenewsnigeria.com.ng

Pirates terrorise Rivers community

By Godspower Edoza

A royal father in Bille Kingdom of Degema Local Government Area of Rivers state, Alabo Bennett Okpokiye-Dokubo, has raised the alarm over incessant attacks by sea Pirates on Bille waterways.

Dokubo, who cried out to newsmen in Port Harcourt, the State capital on Tuesday, said the activities of the criminals led to the death of one Abraham Anthony Alex, while some others sustained different degrees of injury. He disclosed that the armed criminals who dressed in Army camouflage have constantly attacked travelers on the middle of the high sea, dispossess them of their belongings and the passenger boat they were travelling in, leaving them stranded at the middle of nowhere.

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Source: shipsandports.com.ng

Niger Delta: Committee Submits Report On Bille Sea Piracy

By Kevin Nengia

Adhoc committee set up by the State House of Assembly to investigate the frequent attacks and robbery on the Bille-Port Harcourt sea route has submitted its report.
The committee is chaired by member representing Gokana State Constituency, Hon. Dumle Maol, who submitted the report last Thursday after it carried out its investigations.

Among recommendations made by the committee was for the security agencies patrol along the waterways to curb the frequent waylay on passenger boats by sea pirates.
It also called on the authorities to ensure that the miscreants and robbers are fished out and arrested, so as to stein the menace in the future.

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Source: thetidenewsonline.com

Alleged Illegal Oil Bunkering: Navy Hands Over Five Suspects to EFCC

By Olawale Oyegbade

The Nigerian Navy, through the Nigerian Navy today handed over five suspects arrested for illegal oil bunkering to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The spokesperson of the commission, Tony Orilade confirmed to The Nigerian Voice that the suspects were handed over to EFCC, Port Harcourt’s Zonal Office for further investigation and prosecution.

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Source: thenigerianvoice.com

Pirates on rampage on Port Harcourt waterways in Rivers

Okafor Ofiebor

Port Harcourt – Suspected sea pirates on Monday attacked seafarers travelling on Port Harcourt-Bille waterways in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, injuring scores of passengers and robbing them of money, goods worth millions of naira, including the hijacking of their Commercial boats.

A Bille Community leader, Adokiye Bibi, who confirmed the latest pirates’ attack also stated that between Saturday, June 1 to Tuesday June 4, over seven commercial boats have been attacked by sea pirates and hijacked from their owners.

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Source: pmnewsnigeria.com

Maritime Security News: The Nigerian authorities regularly complain that incidents of armed robbery on Delta waterways are wrongly described as incidents of piracy. Looks like the message hasn’t filtered through to the media…