Sea pirates defied security beef up during the yuletide, to attack a vessel at Hondol River in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, belonging to Mobil Producing Unlimited and made away with the supplies.
Although no casualty was recorded in the attack, at least three crew members were seriously injured at the Buoy 39, which has raised recent attacks to two.
Eyewitness accounts said five armed men accosted the supply boat, and when it refused to stop, opened fire at the cabin where the captain of the boat and two crew members were.
Apparently overwhelmed by the firepower of the pirates, the crew stopped, which enabled the pirates to climb on board and offloaded contents of the supply boat into their own and disappeared.
Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Ireju Barasua, confirmed the attack, adding that five armed men carried out the attack.
�The captain and crew members who sustained injuries were rushed to a health facility and are responding to treatment. None of the victims of the attack sustained severe injury. As we speak, the vessel is back to Onne,” she said.
The Bonny channel has been notorious for attacks on both passenger and cargo vessels, leading to the Joint Task Force accusing leader of the Niger Delta Vigilante Movement of carrying out the attacks.
He has, however, denied the allegation.
Dec282007