Three crew members who were abducted recently from fishing trawlers within the Bonny Anchorage in Rivers State have been freed, after the trawler owners reportedly paid an undisclosed amount as ransom money to the pirates, Shipping Position Daily has confirmed.
During the attack, two crew members were killed, three kidnapped and many injured.
Even though our sources refused to disclose the ransom paid to the pirates, he disclosed that millions of Naira was paid for their release.
Our source told Shipping Position Daily last week Friday that one of the freed crew, a captain is currently receiving treatment in a Lagos hospital.
According to him, “Captain Vincent Yovoyan was seriously beaten by the sea robbers during the robbery at Bonny Anchorage, the fishing company has taken responsibility though, but he is in a bad shape”.
He added that, the three crew members regained their freedom on Wednesday last week after payment of the undisclosed fee.
He gave the names of the other two kidnapped crew members who were released as: Adesoloye Abiodun; a Chief Engineer and Yusuf Buriamoh; Able Seaman.
However the Nigerian Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association has appealed to the Nigerian Navy ,NIMASA, the Joint Task Force and other relevant security agencies to beef-up security within the nation's maritime domain, saying that , until the recent attack, there has been a steady decline of the nefarious act since the beginning of the year.
Shipping Position Daily had reported the attack on the two fishing trawlers exclusively recently.
It was reported that, two crew members died, three abducted and two others seriously injured during the attack.
The confirmed crew members that are dead are: Musa Godwin and Moses Idowu Francis.
Captain Isaac Esiekpe Chairman Fishing Zone , Nigerian Merchant Navy Officers and Water Transport Senior Staff Association had in a statement revealed that there were two separate attacks on two fishing trawlers belonging to two fishing companies in Nigeria (names withheld).
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