8 WASSCE Students, 11 Others Rescued After Being Kidnapped By Pirates In Rivers

Nineteen people, including eight students taking their West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), have been rescued three weeks after being kidnapped by suspected pirates in Rivers State.

The victims were abducted on May 6 when gunmen attacked two passenger boats traveling through the Bille waterways in Degema Local Government Area. The captives were taken deep into the creeks and held for 21 days.

They were freed on Monday evening by a local vigilante group known as Royal Fouchee Security Services, popularly called the Amama Soldiers, led by former militant leader Asari Dokubo, who is also a traditional chief in the area.

Following the abduction, the kidnappers contacted the victims’ families and demanded a ransom of ₦100 million.

One of the captives, who was released after paying ₦10 million, later helped the rescue team locate the kidnappers’ hideout.

Speaking about the rescue, Asari Dokubo said his team began the rescue mission on Sunday after the Department of State Services (DSS) sought their help.

He described the conditions the victims endured as inhumane, saying they were starved and abused.

“These people were kept in terrible conditions for 21 days. They were starved and badly treated. One of them, who was released after paying N10 million, helped us find the kidnappers’ camp,” he said.

Among those kidnapped was a soldier, Lance Corporal Salihu Ibrahim. Only his uniform and ID card have been found, raising fears he may have been killed.

One suspect, Victor Friday, arrested during the operation, claims he wasn’t directly involved in the abduction but admitted he stayed in the camp and ran errands.

He named another man, Kentebe from Bayelsa State, who is currently on the run, as the leader of the group.

One of the rescued victims, Victor Akinloye, who worked as a boat driver, said the kidnappers beat them, stripped them of their clothes, and stole their phones and ATM cards before withdrawing money from their accounts.

Akinloye later helped lead the rescue team back to the hideout after recognizing the location.

Rivers State Police spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the successful rescue operation and said it was a joint effort between local security operatives and the police.

“Yes, I can confirm they were rescued on Monday evening through a joint effort by the police and the local security group,” Iringe-Koko said.

See some photos below:

KanyiDaily had also reported how gunmen attacked Okoloke, a farming village in Kogi State’s Yagba West Local Government Area, kidnapping four people on Tuesday.