Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested two suspected members of a sea piracy syndicate in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, over an alleged plot to hijack a crude oil–laden vessel in the Gulf of Guinea.
Security sources disclosed on Sunday that the suspects were apprehended on Saturday while allegedly finalising plans for the operation.
The arrests were carried out at a hotel on Tenacious Street in the Edepie area of Yenagoa, following intelligence-led surveillance by the DSS.
The suspects were identified as Geoffrey Atizara, 38, a native of Aleibiri in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, and Divine Kelechi Unueze, 42, from Nekede in Owerri, Imo State.
According to a security source, preliminary intelligence findings, corroborated by confessional statements made by the suspects, revealed that the duo were working with other members of a well-organised criminal network planning to seize a vessel, abduct its crew and steal its cargo on the high seas.
The source said Unueze allegedly served as the financier of the operation, providing funds and logistics, while Atizara was responsible for recruiting additional pirates to execute the planned attack.
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“The suspects have admitted to being part of a high-profile criminal syndicate operating across the South-East and South-South regions, where they have been involved in sea piracy and kidnapping for ransom,” the source said.
Security officials noted that the arrests have dealt a significant blow to the activities of the syndicate, given the level of sophistication and resources allegedly available to the group.
“Considering the scale of planning and logistics involved, this operation, if not foiled, could have posed a major threat to maritime security in the oil-rich Gulf of Guinea,” the source added.
The source further disclosed that the DSS, in collaboration with the Nigerian Navy and other security agencies, has intensified intelligence-driven operations to address persistent maritime security challenges in the Gulf of Guinea.
According to the source, recent joint efforts have yielded notable successes, including the interception of pirate speedboats and the rescue of crew members from hijacked vessels off the coasts of Bayelsa and Delta states.
The arrest of the two suspects, the source said, represents another milestone in ongoing efforts to dismantle criminal networks and safeguard Nigeria’s territorial waters and offshore assets.
The development comes barely a week after the DSS, in separate joint operations with sister security agencies and forest guards, rescued abducted pastors and other victims in Kaduna and Borno states.
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