Gunmen suspected to be pirates on New Year eve attacked a passenger boat laden with 14 people enroute Brass Island for the New Year festivities in Bayelsa State.

The incident occurred while the boat was travelling from Yenagoa, the state capital, to Twon-Brass, headquarters of the Brass Local Government Area of the state.

It was learnt that the passengers onboard were dispossessed of their valuables, including money, by the armed pirates.

The state chairman of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Mr Ogoniba Ipigansi, confirmed the attack on Saturday.

Ipigansi, however, said the driver and the passengers were unhurt.

According to him, the boat powered by a 115-horsepower outboard engine was approaching Twon-Brass coastline when the pirates struck.

“The pirates dumped the driver and the passengers in the bush and carted away the 115 horsepower Yamaha engine of the boat and other things,” Ipigansi said.

He added that a rescue team had been dispatched to the scene of the incident.

Officials of the Joint Task Force deployed to the Niger Delta declined comments when contacted for a reaction directed all enquiries to the Defence Headquarters in Abuja.

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