Six Pirates Armed with AK-47 Rifles Rob Up to Three Small Vessels Near Port Harcourt, Nigeria

May 11: Initial reports indicate that at approx. 09:30 LT a commercial speedboat conveying 10 passengers from Bonny to Port Harcourt was attacked by six pirates on board a speedboat with 2 outboard engines (1x 200 Hp and 1×75 Hp). All assailants were armed with AK-47 rifles, and wore face masks and military camouflage. The attack occured approx. 33nm SE of Port Harcourt.

The pirates robbed the passengers of their money, phones and other valuables and abandoned them in a nearby mangrove. They also stole the passenger boat engine, one 140 Hp.

Further – less detailed – reports indicate that (1) the above attack may have impacted an additional target vessel, and (2) an unspecified number of pirates in the vicinity (5nm SE of Port Harcourt) at around the same time also boarded a speedboat carrying one pilot, a passenger, and 10 drums of fuel. Details of these latter two attacks are limited and are yet to be corroborated.