DSS Foils Massive Oil Vessel Hijack; Two Kingpins Arrested in Bayelsa

​YENAGOA – In a major blow to maritime criminality, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have intercepted a high-profile piracy syndicate, thwarting a sophisticated plot to hijack a crude oil-laden vessel in the Gulf of Guinea.

​The operation, which took place on Saturday in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, led to the arrest of two primary suspects believed to be the masterminds behind a series of coordinated attacks on Nigeria’s territorial waters.

​The Arrest and The Syndicate

​Acting on actionable intelligence, DSS operatives stormed a hotel on Tenacious Street in the Edepie area of Yenagoa. The suspects were identified as Geoffrey Atizara, 38, an indigene of Aleibiri in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa, and Divine Kelechi Unueze, 42, from Nekede in Owerri, Imo State.

​Sources within the security agency revealed that the duo were in the final stages of planning a large-scale maritime assault. Their objective was threefold: seize a multi-million dollar crude oil vessel, kidnap the foreign and local crew members for ransom, and divert the petroleum cargo for illegal sale.

​”This wasn’t a small-time operation. Unueze was the financier, providing the heavy logistics and funds required for such a high-risk venture, while Atizara was the lead recruiter, sourcing the ‘manpower’ needed to execute the boarding,” a senior security source disclosed.

​A Regional Threat Neutralized

​Upon interrogation, the suspects reportedly confessed to being part of a vast criminal network spanning the South-East and South-South regions. This syndicate has long been on the radar of security agencies for its involvement in high-stakes kidnapping and sea piracy.

​The Gulf of Guinea has seen a 25% uptick in reported maritime incidents in the last year, making this arrest particularly significant. Security experts believe the disruption of this specific cell has prevented a major economic sabotage that could have further spiked insurance premiums for vessels operating in Nigerian waters.

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​Collaborative Security Success

​The DSS confirmed that this breakthrough is part of a broader, intensified campaign involving the Nigerian Navy and other sister agencies. In the past week alone, the military has:

• ​Intercepted several high-speed pirate boats.

• ​Rescued hijacked crew members off the coasts of Bayelsa and Delta.

• ​Dismantled illegal refining sites through the Navy’s NNS SOROH division.

​This success follows a string of recent victories for the DSS, including the rescue of abducted clergy and civilians in Kaduna and Borno states just seven days ago. The suspects remain in custody as investigations continue to track down other fleeing members of the syndicate.

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