NAVY KILLS SUSPECTED PIRATE, ARREST 1

A suspected pirate was gunned down and another arrested, yesterday, by naval men of the NNS Pathfinder, along the Bonny Waterway, while escorting a vessel loaded with petrol.
Vanguard gathered that the sea robbers, who have become a menace to travellers on the sea route attempted to hijack the vessel as it sailed along the channel even as it was being escorted by naval soldiers.


A security source said the vessel, which was conveying no fewer than 400,000 litres of petrol, was “initially accosted by the pirates who ordered the vessel to divert its route.


“A tugboat and a barge were sailing towards Saipem along the Bonny Channel when four suspected pirates hijacked and attempted to take them to an unknown destination.


Fortunately, a member of the crew in the boat was able to make a call to the company that owned the boat. The company in turn sent a distress call to the NNS Pathfinder.


The NNS Pathfinder sent a gunboat in search of the pirates and later found them along Bakana creek. One of the suspects was arrested with a riffle and brought back to base while the others escaped.


The suspect has since been handed over to the appropriate law enforcement agency for thorough interrogation”, but naval authorities could not be reached on the matter.


Confirming the incident, Commissioner of Police, Mr. Felix Ogbaudu, said he was aware that “naval men on patrol killed a suspected pirate and arrested another suspect along Bonny Channel”.