Gunmen abduct two policemen, others in Rivers

Gunmen have abducted four persons, including two policemen, in Andoni Local Council of Rivers State.

The gunmen, suspected to be a gang of sea-pirates operating in Andoni, snatched their victims from a passenger boat at Ngo town.

It was gathered that the two policemen and several other persons had boarded a boat at a jetty in Ngo that was supposed to take them to the Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo-Nkoro Unity Road when suddenly they were attacked by unspecified number of gunmen.

The Guardian also gathered that the gunmen initially abducted more then seven persons and after a while, released others and disappeared into the Andoni Creek with four persons, including two policemen, whose identities could not be ascertained at press time.

While the motive for the abduction is not known yet, it was gathered that the abducted persons boarded the boat and were heading to Port Harcourt and other parts of the state.

A source, who pleaded anonymity, told The Guardian that suspected sea pirates had been harassing travellers on the Andoni waterways for a while.

He, therefore, appealed to the state government to deploy the new security outfit, “Operation Sting” to fish out those threatening the peace and security of the area.

Meanwhile, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Nnamdi Omoni, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), confirmed the abduction of the two policemen.

Omoni said that the Commissioner of Police, Mustapha Dandaura, had directed all tactical units of the police in the state to launch a major manhunt for the gunmen and rescue the two policemen.