The Defence Headquarters on Tuesday vowed that some suspected Pro-Biafran militants, who hijacked a merchant vessel off the coast of Nigeria on Friday would be treated as criminals and saboteurs.

The ship, believed to be an oil tanker, was said to have been hijacked by some militants, who issued a 31-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to release the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu.

While some maritime industry sources claimed that the vessel was an oil tanker seized about 160 kilometres off the Bakassi Peninsula near the border with Cameroon, the Defence Headquarters told the The PUNCH on Tuesday that the ship was seized about 7.5 nautical miles off the Port of Cotonou.

The suspected pro-Biafran militants had hijacked the foreign merchant ship and threatened to blow it up with its crew if the Federal Government failed to release Kanu.

It was learnt that the 31-day ultimatum by the militants was given at the weekend by one ‘General Ben.’

Kanu is being prosecuted by the Department of State Services for running an illegal organisation (IPOB), threatening to break away from Nigeria to create an independent country; importing radio transmitters and making inciting and seditious statements, while his co-accused persons had been charged with possession of firearms.

Defence sources, who claimed knowledge of the hijacking on Tuesday, explained that the operatives of the Nigerian Navy were on the trail of the captured vessel and the hijackers.

One of the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the hijackers had threatened to blow up the ship and its crew members if the government refused to release Kanu, who is currently being detained and undergoing prosecution for treasonable felony, after 31 days.

The Director of Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Rabe Abubakar, confirmed on Tuesday that some militants hijacked a vessel on Friday off the Nigerian coast, but threatened that the military would deal decisively with those he called criminals and saboteurs.

He said the vessel, named MT LEON DIAS, was hijacked outside Nigeria’s territorial waters about 7.5 nautical miles off the Port of Cotonou, adding that the vessel was under the watch of the Navy of Benin Republic.

Abubakar added, “Well, I can confirm to you that a vessel, a tanker with the name MT LEON DIAS with number 9279927, was hijacked 7.5 nautical miles off Cotonou port. The ship is presently in Benin Republic. It is a merchant ship.

“I must add that on this issue of militancy, there are no more militants now, what we have are criminals. The Amnesty programme has taken care of the militants.

“The military will treat those behind such acts as criminal and saboteurs; the law will take its course; the security agencies will do their job.

“The country’s interest is above any other person’s interest. We have to work towards the enthronement of peace and stability because development can only take place in an atmosphere of peace.”

He said the military would treat those behind such crimes in the nation’s maritime domain as criminals and saboteurs.

Abubakar admitted that there “were some sort of threats,” but he was not specific on the 31-day ultimatum issued by the hijackers.

A Bulgarian-based Maritime News had said, “The group boarded the tanker from two fast boats and took control of the vessel and locked the crew in the mess room before heading for the Niger Delta,” reports AP.

A factional leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of a Sovereign State of Biafra, Uchenna Madu, had also explained that the said ‘General Ben’ was one of the Niger Delta militants, who had volunteered to join forces with the secessionists groups.

“Ben is not a separatist but some Niger Delta militants have shown interest in working with us,” said Madu.


http://www.punchng.com/well-treat-pro-biafran-ship-hijackers-as-criminals-military/

lalasticlala IPOB Youths Don Price Market....

hahahahahaha!

They have not solve the Boko Haram problem, they want to create militancy.

Oil prices still dropping, naira still dropping, prices still rising, inflation galore.

All this fight Buhari is starting, shows he has no economic outlook, no plan.

All is just distraction from facing real economic question and challenges.

Make hungry kill Nigerians, Baba one chance has no time or plan for the economy.

uwantsome:
hahahahahaha! Una never finish boko u have started on militant.

All this fight Buhari is starting, shows he has no plan for the Economy.

Buhari is a hopeless case.

Execution Of Nnamdi Kanu by Buhari would mean restoration of common sense and sanity to the people of South East! That alone to me scores him above 70% in governance..

what are they waiting for

NgeneUkwenu:
lalasticlala IPOB Youths Don Price Market....

Is this how you intend to mourn your loss in Rivers State ?

Raking is easy sha,deal with boko first.

Truckpusher:
Is this how you intend to mourn your loss in Rivers State ?

that guy is crying more than Waterside,next is Umana.

Please smoke them out. Nnamdi Kanu will hang and nothing will happen. Keep giving the Nigerian army a reason to be in igboland.

hahahahahaha! Una never finish boko u have started on militant.

All this fight Buhari is starting, shows he has no plan for the Economy.

Buhari is a hopeless case.

mulattoclaro:
Please smoke them out. Nnamdi Kanu will hang and nothing will happen. Keep giving the Nigerian army a reason to be in igboland.

"Things" are already happening, better wake up!!!

RapLawd:



"Things" are already happening, better wake up!!!

what things? See this one.

NgeneUkwenu:
IPOB Youths Don Buy Market...

Please Kill 'em All! They never wished Nigeria-Their Country) well, afterall!

how old is this thing

Hmm this ngeneukwenu is just looking for what to use and compensate himself abi na herself after wike victory...u never fight bokoharam for land finish na untop water u wan go fight people wey sabi swim like fish....btw after all the raking una never arrest tompolo o....i laugh in ijaw

Ufranklin92:

Hmmmm,I gave you an advice,why are you calling mind,is he your father or something

I miss the days wen the child use to be in Romance secton permanently, politics felt like politics.

Early morning the mofo will carry chair they wait, like say we be his pikin.

Nigga I don't know u and u cannot influence my views and opinion not even in a million years.

My views and Opinion are my DNA.

Action speaks louder that voice
Talk is cheap

uwantsome:
hahahahahaha!

They have not solve the Boko Haram problem, they want to create militancy.

Oil prices still dropping, naira still dropping, prices still rising, inflation galore.

All this fight Buhari is starting, shows he has no economic outlook, no plan.

All is just distraction from facing real economic question and challenges.

Make hungry kill Nigerians, Baba one chance has no time or plan for the economy.

is that all you got up there or you will like to check if there's a bit if a sense left on the dusty shelf?

KINGwax007:
is that all you got up there or you will like to check if there's a bit if a sense left on the dusty shelf?

Nigga go to the creeks, they have already started dismantling the entire oil instulation, go and help them, I am not holding anybody.

Note, nothing makes us one Nigeria but oil.

uwantsome:
hahahahahaha!

They have not solve the Boko Haram problem, they want to create militancy.

Oil prices still dropping, naira still dropping, prices still rising, inflation galore.

All this fight Buhari is starting, shows he has no economic outlook, no plan.

All is just distraction from facing real economic question and challenges.

Nigeria have entered one chance.

Most of you ipob touts are illiterates I swear. lolx so in your myopic mind, you think the Nigeria military can't deal with ipob terrorists, militancy, boko boys and shiites at the same time? Do you even know that the army is grouped into different divisions?
Currently, DIV 3 of the Nigeria army are the only army personnels battling boko boys in NE( about a little percentage of DIV 3). And the army have about 8 divisions. lolx

NgeneUkwenu:


Execution Of Nnamdi Kanu by Buhari would mean restoration of common sense and sanity to the people of South East! That alone to me scores him above 70% in governance..

YOU HATE BUHARI SO MUCH YOU WANT THE COLLAPSE ON HIM AFTER KANU IS KILLED.

FULANIS I DON'T REALLY LIKE YOU GUYS BUT PLEASE BE WARY OF YORUBAS LIKE THIS GUY WHO WANTS THE COUNTRY TO COLLAPSE BUHARI VERY FAST SO THAT OSIBANDE CAN TAKE OVER. THEY ARE YOUR WORST ENEMY.

WE IN THE EAST THAT GAVE BUHARI 5% ONLY WANT BUHARI TO RULE OVER THOSE THAT GIVE HIM 97% ALONE PEACEFULLY.

They should blow everything if gra gra is always the solution. Blow the ship, the militants, and the crew inside sef since naija like short cuts so another news headline can enter.

Nigeria is an expired country...

[s]

Vulu:


YOU HATE BUHARI SO MUCH YOU WANT THE COLLAPSE ON HIM AFTER KANU IS KILLED.

FULANIS I DON'T REALLY LIKE YOU GUYS BUT PLEASE BE WARY OF YORUBAS LIKE THIS GUY WHO WANTS THE COUNTRY TO COLLAPSE BUHARI VERY FAST SO THAT OSIBANDE CAN TAKE OVER. THEY ARE YOUR WORST ENEMY.

WE IN THE EAST THAT GAVE BUHARI 5% ONLY WANT BUHARI TO RULE OVER THOSE THAT GIVE HIM 97% ALONE PEACEFULLY.

[/s]

Typical eboe man, anyone with contrary opinion must be Yoruba. Una no dey get shame again sef.

Let's go get them!

NgeneUkwenu:
IPOB Youths Don Buy Market...

Please Kill 'em All! They never wished Nigeria-Their Country) well, afterall!

which IPOB youth? Abi u no read ur own post?

The same NA that cried like motherless baby elephants when bokoharam dealt with them?

The reason they're spewing all these threat is because Igbos are not armed yet.