HIJACK Militants seize
ship in Rivers •8 crew members missing
From Henry Chukwurah, Port Harcourt
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
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Militants
Photo: Sun News Publishing |
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Militants have struck again in Rivers State, hijacking a
supply vessel, ‘WAO Benue’ with eight crew members
on board.
The incident occurred just as a female youth corps member,
who was kidnapped over the weekend, regained her freedom.
It was gathered that the vessel, which belongs to West Africa
Offshore, an indigenous oil service company, was returning
from Agbaim in Delta State to Onne Port in Rivers State, when
it was attacked near the Forge Island along the Bonny Channel.
Dependable sources told Daily Sun that the hijackers and the
vessel were later sighted at Elem Krakrama in the Tombia area
of the state.
The ill-fated vessel was hired by Chevron Oil Company when
it was hijacked. Ironically, it at the same area that a vessel,
‘Lourdes Child’ hired by the American oil company,
was hijacked in May and later released on June 19, this year.
So far, no group has claimed responsibility for the hijack.
Meanwhile, a female youth corps member, Miss Ifeanyi Oweneke,
kidnapped in Port Harcourt last weekend, was released on Monday.
The corps member, daughter of a senior official of Halliburton
Nigeria Limited, a major oil service company, Mr. Mathew Oweneke,
was said to be going to where she was posted for her service
when the kidnappers struck.
Although family sources would not be drawn into any comment,
it was gathered that unspecified amount exchanged hands before
she was released.
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