Tony Etim
13 March 2008
Port Harcourt — SUSPECTED pirates yesterday seized one vessel, two tug boats and six crew members along the New Calabar river in Rivers State.
The pirates, who later demanded for a N20 million ransom, threatened to blow up the vessel and tug boats and kill the crew members if their demand was not met.
Sources said the vessel and tug boats belong to construction company, Julius Berger and were conveying cement to a project site in one of the creeks when the gunmen attacked them.
The pirates were said to have freed one of the crew members after seizing the vessel and tug boats and asked him to take a message to the company that except a ransom of N20 million was paid to them, they would blow up the vessel and the remaining crew.
The sources further said that the pirates who attacked the vessel and tug boats in three speedboats, opened fire as they approached them.
After taking over the vessel, the pirates asked the captain and the drivers of the tugboats to steer the Bonny-bound vessel against their planned course.
A source narrated "We have the report that suspected gunmen have overpowered a vessel laden with cement along the New Calabar River . They also seized two tugboats that accompanied the ship.
"The vessel and the tugboats are properties of Julius Berger that is carrying out major construction work in many parts of the Niger Delta region," a source told Daily Champion.
Spokesman for the Joint Task Force in the state, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa, however said that he was not aware of the attack.
Musa appealed to members of the public to give prompt information to troops on the activities of criminals to enable law enforcement agencies carry out their assignments and promised that JTF would launch a search and rescue mission for the vessel and crew.
Spokeswoman of Rivers State Police Command, Mrs. Ireju Barasua (DSP) also could not confirm the story as at press time.
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