MWUN Sends Eid Mubarak Felicitations, Pirates Kidnap 5 Members

By Kenneth Jukpor

The leadership and entire membership of Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) felicitate with all Muslim brothers and sisters on the occasion of the celebration of eid Mubarak.
In a statement obtained by our correspondent, the President-General, MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju said; “We appreciate the collaboration of Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN), Nigerian Association of Stevedoring Companies (NASC), employers and stakeholders for providing a convivial atmosphere for work and workers.”
The group also congratulate the President, Mohamadu Buhari, and his team for galvanizing impressive growth within the maritime sub-sector and putting in place regulations and standards to govern service and marine operations.
“Our appreciation also goes to the honourable ministers of transportation and labour for their commitment to developing the place of the Nigerian working people. Lastly we thank our fellow comrades for keeping faith with us and believing. May Allah continue to bless us this season and forever. Happy eid Mubarak,” the MWUN President said.
In another development, MWUN Seamen NIWA and Water Transport Workers, district has confirmed that last night sea pirates hijacked a passenger boat en-route to Port Harcourt from Kula with eight seafarers aboard.
The district said that five of the unit executives and three others were kidnapped on their way to converge for a meeting
Rivers State District Chairman, Comrade Jonah Jumbo, who confirmed the incident to our correspondent on Tuesday, said the passengers were kidnapped along the coastal Kula-Abonema waterway.
Jumbo said that of the eight kidnapped persons, five are members of the maritime union in Kula, Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of the state, who were on their way to Port Harcourt for a meeting.
He appealed to the perpetrators to release the victims unconditionally, even as he urged the state government and security agencies to intervene immediately.
He said, “The Kula unit and Abonnema unit of Maritime Workers Union were asked to come for a meeting in the state office here in Port Harcourt [on Monday]. On their way from Kula, we got a complaint (report) that the officials who were coming for the meeting were kidnapped.

“All the passengers were kidnapped, including three others in the boat. Up till now, nobody has heard anything from the kidnappers. So, we are appealing to the general public, the government and security agencies to really help us and see how they can reach the kidnappers.”
Meanwhile, the spokesperson of Rivers State Police Command SP, Nnamdi Omoni, said he is yet to be briefed on the kidnap.