The Police Command in Rivers has arrested a suspected pirate, Daniel George, over his alleged involvement in attack on a passenger boat in Bonny waterways, Rivers, resulting in death of one passenger.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Nnamdi Omoni, who confirmed the arrest on Friday in Port Harcourt, said the pirates’ alleged attack resulted to death of one passenger.
“Daniel Clifford, an indigene of Asarama community in Andoni Local Government Area, who has been on our wanted list has been arrested.
“The suspect is helping us in getting information to enable the police to go after the other gang members,” he said.
The police spokesman said a state-wide manhunt had been declared to apprehend the fleeing gang members and bring them to justice.
“The suspects are members of a gang of pirates that have been terrorising the Bonny river,” Omoni said.
The attack happened in the early hours of Thursday, with many of the passengers aboard, sustaining injuries.
A fisherman resident in Bonny, who simply gave his name as Tamuno, said some of the passengers jumped into the river to avoid being robbed of their belongings during the attack.
“After they attacked the boat and were fleeing, the driver of the pirates’ boat accidentally fell into the river, and was abandoned by his colleagues.
“But, one of the passengers who escaped the attack later identified the driver of the pirate boat – after he (driver) was pulled out from the river by people,” he said.
Tamuno identified the alleged rescued driver of the pirates’ boat as Dan Clifford George.
