Police nab 3 sea pirates in military camouflage

By Emma Arubi

WARRI—OPERATIVES of the Marine Police unit of the Nigeria Police in Warri, Delta State, Wednesday, nabbed three suspected notorious sea pirates dressed in Army  camouflage, operating on the Warri/Burutu waterways.

The pirates, who gave their names as Stanley Sapele (30); Godbless Ebipade (24) and Alfred Akaebe (21), said they were all from Obotebe community in Burutu Local Government Area of the state.

The hoodlums were alleged to have terrorized innocent sea farers at about 11:30 pm, dispossessing them of various amounts of cash and other personal effects when reports reached the Marine Police Base, headed by Mr Prest Udueyin, who ordered his men to effect their immediate arrest.

Parading the suspects before newsmen at the Area Commander’s Office in Warri, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Mamman Tsafe, said the suspects had all confessed to taking part in various robbery incidents in the city.

Speaking through the Area Commander, Warri, Mr Abutu Yaro, he said the arrest was affected through a synergy with other security agents, adding that they were out to chase all manner of criminal elements away from the state.

He added that the sea thieves threw their bag of guns into the river, when it became obvious that the game was up while only two cutlasses and chisel were recovered from them.

A victim, Mr. Roy Akporotu, said he was dispossessed of the sum of N145,000, after he was beaten  with wood while two of his boys were driven into the bush and the driving license of one them taken by the hoodlums.