Security agencies in Rivers State have located the Chevron vessel hijacked by armed hoodlums on its way from Onne to Escravos and would have stormed the location to free the 11 crew but for the objection by Chevron, owner of the vessel.The crew on board include a Portuguese, a Ukrainian and nine Nigerians.
The tracking system of Chevron had located the vessel around Fouche Island from where the hijackers had demanded N30 million ransom.
However, when the Navy moved to the location, they allegedly discovered that the vessel had been moved, a situation which led to the State Security component of the Joint Task Force to wade into the matter.
At the time of filing this report, a joint security meeting was underway.
“Initially, there were some difficulties in locating the vessel where they reported it had been tracked but with better intelligence, we have pinned down its position and we are working out the best way to free the vessel without any casualties.
“We had after locating the vessel planned for a combined air and water assault on them but due to the concern of the company that the hijackers might decide to kill the crew, they kicked against it.
“Right now, a meeting is going on on the best strategy to adopt but I can assure you that we will get them out soon although the best way out would have been to overwhelm them with force”, a highly placed source told THISDAY.
Asked of the information that the JTF could not locate the vessel before the latest development, Spokesman of the Force, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa said it was the situation since they went to the location where the vessel was reported to have been taken to but it was not found.
He however said that those who have the facilities to track the vessel should not wait to be asked to handover the information on the location to their men who are ready to move to ensure the freedom of the crew members.When THISDAY called Spokesman of the Navy, Mr. Olabisi Way, he said he”heard them discussing about the matter”, but was not sure of the accurate information on it. He promised to get in touch with their men in Bonny and give the information to THISDAY within an hour.When THISDAY called him again to get the result of his consultation with those saddled with the task of freeing the hijacked vessel, he refused to pick his calls..The vessel, Lourdes Tide was hijacked by militants last week and steered into where security sources said was high seas before alarm were raised on its whereabouts.
May202008