4th June, 2019
Okafor Ofiebor
Port Harcourt – Suspected sea pirates on Monday attacked seafarers travelling on Port Harcourt-Bille waterways in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, injuring scores of passengers and robbing them of money, goods worth millions of naira, including the hijacking of their Commercial boats.
A Bille Community leader, Adokiye Bibi, who confirmed the latest pirates’ attack also stated that between Saturday, June 1 to Tuesday June 4, over seven commercial boats have been attacked by sea pirates and hijacked from their owners.
“We are under siege, people wearing military uniforms opened fire at us.They hit one boat and another sank. We had to start rescuing other passengers who were drowning. Properties worth millions of Naira have been lost to pirate’s attack. They stole goods,bags,money and all belongings of passengers.
“Bille community is one of the most peaceful community in Rivers state, but we are presently under siege by armed hoodlums. Now, we cannot move freely on the waterways, which is the only means of transportation to other parts of the state. We are mainly riverine. We have the 29 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, we have the police , we have pipeline security, all in Bille kingdom, yet we cannot move freely,” Adokiye Bibi cried out.
Victims of the attack who narrated their ordeal, said that the pirates wore military uniforms and operated in speed boats fully armed.
“The pirates beat us mercilessly, collected my money, the goods I bought with my savings worth thousands of Naira and pushed us inside water and sped off. Both the state and federal government should beef up security in our waterways. We are dying. We are riverine, we can only travel by boats.”
The Rivers State Police Command was yet to comment of the attack.