Sea Pirates Kidnap 18 Persons on Rivers Waterways As Tension Spikes

A wooden cargo boat was commandeered off its course with five persons aboard, 13 persons traveling to Bille were abducted, while a passenger outboard-powered engine speedboat was snatched, all in Rivers State by yet-to-be-identified gunmen.  

The wooden cargo boat was heading to Bonny in Bonny Local Government Area of the State when it was attacked around Borikiri axis of Port Harcourt, the State capital.

The 13 Bille passengers were abducted at Isaka in Okrika LGA of the State. Incidentally, the attacked boat was same with same pilot that had six of its passengers abducted on Wednesday, March 26, 2025.  

One of the passengers, the Chief Executive Officer of HMG, Hope Georgewill, was later killed by his assailants after receiving a ransom on his behalf.  

The third attack occurred off Tourist Beach in Port Harcourt where an outboard engine-powered speedboat was snatched, though without any passengers.

A senior police officer, who confirmed this to Kristina Reports in Port Harcourt, albeit anonymously, said the audacious assault on travelers and boats along the State’s waterways happened on the evening of Tuesday, May 6, 2025.

According to the official, search and rescue efforts were already underway to locate, identify and exfiltrate the victims and incidents boats.

Sources hint Kristina Reports that these attacks appear to signpost the lacuna in security management of the State with the legitimate governments both at the State and local government levels in abeyance due to the state of emergency imposed by the President.