Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) on Saturday arrested two men suspected of planning a maritime hijack in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State, authorities confirmed.
The men were reportedly preparing to seize a crude oil-laden vessel in the Gulf of Guinea and abduct its crew.
The suspects, identified as Geoffrey Atizara, 38, from Aleibiri in Ekeremor Local Government Area, and Divine Kelechi Unueze, 42, from Nekede in Owerri, Imo State, were apprehended at a hotel on Tenacious Street in the Edepie area of Yenagoa.
According to security sources, preliminary intelligence and confessional statements from the suspects indicate that they were part of a larger criminal network planning to seize the vessel, abduct its crew, and steal its cargo.
Sources explained that Unueze was the financier of the operation, while Atizara was responsible for recruiting additional pirates.
“The duo have admitted to being part of a high-profile criminal network operating in the South East and South South parts of Nigeria, mainly profiting from sea piracy and kidnapping,” a security source said.
Another source, who stressed the implications of the arrest, said: “Given the sophistication and the resources at the disposal of this pirate band, this arrest has disrupted what could have been a major threat to maritime security in the oil-rich Gulf of Guinea region.”
The DSS, in collaboration with the Nigerian Navy and other security agencies, has reportedly intensified intelligence-led operations to curb maritime insecurity. “Recent successes include the interception of several pirate speedboats and the rescue of crew members from hijacked vessels off the coasts of Bayelsa and Delta States,” a source added.
Officials noted that the arrest of Atizara and Unueze represents a continuation of security efforts in the region. The DSS had, less than a week ago, conducted joint operations with sister agencies and forest guards to rescue abducted pastors and other individuals in Kaduna and Borno States.
Authorities are holding the suspects in custody as investigations continue, with the DSS stressing the importance of intelligence-driven strategies in preventing maritime crime and protecting oil and shipping interests in the Gulf of Guinea.