The Premium Times reports that pirates seized a police gunboat which was escorting a barge operated by Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC).

They opened fire on the policemen, kidnapped the gunboat driver and three officers and made away with the arms onboard.

The barge and the occupants escaped since the police unit was the hijackers’ target.

In a separate incident, pirates kidnapped six people aboard a boat belonging to Icon Xearex, an oil company.