Panic in Rivers as helicopter shoots passenger boat

There has been panic in Bonny local council of Rivers State after a helicopter reportedly shot at a local passenger boat travelling from Port Harcourt to Bonny.

A local in the area, who witnessed the incident, said several passengers in the boat were wounded and were rushed to the hospital for treatments.

An eyewitness at the Bonny-Nembe waterside where the boat took off expressed shock over the incident, saying the boat was carrying passengers and foodstuff.

His words: “The local boat that just left here to Bonny, within the Treasure Island area, a chopper or I will call it a flight helicopter just came behind, went very low and started shooting the wooden boat.

“The boat driver who escaped confirmed to us that there were passengers in the boat. The boat also contains foodstuff, garri, rice and other items. Everyone knows that is the route to transport foodstuff to Bonny. Some people died in the boat,” he claimed.

When contacted, the spokesman of the State Police Command, Nnamdi Omoni, said he was yet to get the report.

The spokesman of the 6 Division, Nigeria Army, Charles Ekeocha did not pick calls put across to him.