The Nigerian Military has admitted that its combat helicopter shot at a local cargo boat, popularly known as ‘Cotonou Boat’, but clarified that the boat was suspected to be conveying illegally refined petroleum products along the Bonny River.  

A statement signed by the Director of Defence Information, Benjamin Olufemi Sawyerr disclosed that the Air Component of the Joint Task Force Operation DELTA SAFE (OPDS) carried out the attack while providing air support to ground troops engaged in clearance operations in the incident area.

“The Air Component of the Joint Task Force Operation DELTA SAFE (OPDS) received reports from ground troops who were on clearance operations but encountered resistance at the point of encounter.”

“On receiving the report a combat helicopter was despatched to provide close air support mission along the Cawthorne Channel.”

The statement said the helicopter, upon accosting the ‘Cotonou Boat’ which was being escorted by two speedboats on high speed, fired warning shots to dissuade the crew of the boat from hostile action but was fired at by the crew and had to engage it accordingly.

“The helicopter encountered an illegal oil bunkerers’ boat popularly called “Cotonou Boat”. The boat which was being escorted by 2 speedboats was suspected to be carrying illegally refined oil products in large drums along the Channel in the direction of OPDS patrol boats.”

“On sighting the boat, warning shots were fired to dissuade the crew from hostile action. The crew fired back at the helicopter and the boat was engaged accordingly.

“The 2 speedboats detached from the convoy at high speed leaving the “Cotonou Boat” which was neutralised. The helicopter later went after the 2 speedboats but was unable to track it.  The suspects are still at large and a manhunt has been sent out to apprehend them.”

The response from the Defence Headquarters, which was coming more than 72 hours after the incident, which caused a national uproar, occurred, reiterated that the Military “remains a professional institution that operates in line with best practices through the application of the rules of engagement and code of conduct”.

It further asserted that “It is also positioned to protect the populace rather than victimizing them,” adding that “efforts by anyone to protect criminality by disparaging the actions of the Military in preventing economic sabotage and other sundry crimes need to be condemned by all”.

Recall that the Media space was awash with reports of an attack on unarmed civilians traveling in a local cargo boat on Thursday, August 26, 2021 from Port Harcourt to Bonny Island, with two of the victims telling journalists that their boat was attacked along the Bonny River near the Dawes Island (Dutch Island) fishing settlement in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State.

According to one of the victims, Awwal Rufai, the military helicopter dropped one of its occupants via a rope, who checked the boat and was later pulled back up into the aircraft, which flew off and later resurfaced and dropped to about 500 meters above sea level and opened fire on them but flew off again when they cried out for help.

“Between 1:30 and 2pm a chopper was seen around that area, it came around the first time, went back, came back again the second time and left. The third time it came around, it dropped a rope from the chopper and a personnel was seen coming down from the chopper into the boat and later went back up, next thing they opened fire and started shooting at us.”

It was yet unclear, what the statement by the Defence Headquarters meant when it said that “the “Cotonou Boat” which was neutralised,” given that the incidented boat later arrived the Coal Beach in Bonny at about 10pm Thursday, August 26, 2021.

Kristina Reports Security Correspondent, Susan Pepple, who was among those who checked out the boat, observed that among the items being conveyed by the said boat were an empty coffin, bags of garri (cassava flakes), beans, rice, and cement; plastic plumbing pipes, cartons of drinks, crates of eggs, and buckets of paint, amongst others.

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It was discovered that some of the items in the boat had blood stains and bullet holes on them.  

Concerns have been raised as to the amount of due diligence, credible intelligence and adherence to the rules of engagement infused in the operations of the Military in its quest to provide security and safety across the nation’s maritime environment.