Sea pirates have allegedly hijacked a passenger boat and whisk away some of the occupants around Namasibi axis of the New Calabar Rivers, Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State.  A source in the area, who preferred anonymity, said the boat was travelling from Port Harcourt to Ke Clan in Degema LGA before the incident happened around 4 pm on Wednesday.

The source said the armed bandits had on gunpoint directed all the passengers to jump into the river, but only the driver and few others who could swim did.

However, the driver of the hijacked boat, Tamunoiminabo Aginah, narrated that the pirates attacked them while returning from Port Harcourt. Aginah said: “In the morning when we were driving to Port Harcourt, the sea pirates chased us, but they couldn’t get to us.

“On Our way back to Ke from Port Harcourt as we approached Namasibi, New Calabar River, the sea pirates appeared in full speed and a superior engine boat and we couldn’t escape them. “They ordered us to jump into the river. Those that can swim did as they commanded while they drove away with those that didn’t jump into the river to unknown destination together with our boat.”

He noted that those who jumped into the river were rescued by fishermen with canoes.

The Public Relations Officer of the Rivers State Police Command, DSP. Nnamdi Omoni, at press time, said he is not aware of the development.