A wave of coordinated attacks by unidentified gunmen along Rivers State waterways has resulted in the abduction of at least 16 individuals in separate incidents.
The first incident reportedly took place near the Borikiri axis of Port Harcourt, where pirates intercepted a wooden cargo boat heading to Bonny in Bonny Local Government Area. Of the five passengers onboard, three were abducted on Tuesday, while an elderly man and the boat operator were spared.
In a disturbing recurrence, another boat—piloted by the same captain whose vessel was targeted weeks earlier—was ambushed near Isaka in Okrika Local Government Area. This time, 13 passengers en route to Bille were taken, compounding the number of recent kidnappings.
The boat’s operator had previously faced a similar attack on March 26, during which six passengers were kidnapped.
Adding to the grim toll, it was reported that Hope Georgewill, CEO of HMG and one of the earlier victims, was killed by his captors despite a ransom payment made in March.
In yet another assault, pirates hijacked an empty speedboat near Tourist Beach in Port Harcourt. Although no passengers were harmed, the incident underscored the increasing insecurity on the state’s waterways.
A senior police officer, who requested anonymity, confirmed the string of attacks and described them as “brazen.” Rivers State Police Command spokesperson Grace Iringe-Koko also verified the Isaka incident, stating, “Yes, 13 people were abducted along the Isaka waterway, but we’re working hard to make sure they’re rescued unhurt and reunited with their families.”
Search and rescue efforts are ongoing, but the frequency and boldness of these attacks have spotlighted a worsening security gap—one that criminal elements appear increasingly willing to exploit amid governance instability linked to a federally imposed state of emergency.