…Fubara urges residents to give accurate information to security agencies…. The Chairman, Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Rivers Commercial District, Comrade Israel Waribo Pepple, has decried incessant piracy attacks on members of the union on Rivers waterways, stressing that the attacks being launched by pirates have caused sleepless nights to Maritime workers and held their operations hostage.....CONTINUE READING THE ARTICLE FROM THE SOURCE
Pepple also said that sea pirate attacks on the union’s members often lead to most of them or their passengers being taken hostage or killed while carting away personal belongings, including member’s boats.
The chairman of maritime workers in Rivers spoke when Governor Siminalayi Fubara received a delegation of maritime workers in Government House in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, to formally draw the attention of the government to their plight and seek immediate intervention.
Specifically, Comrade Pepple said: “On Thursday, August 22, 2024, a boat sailing from Bonny to Port Harcourt was attacked by unknown gunmen, who took five (5) passengers to an unknown destination.
“Bille Boat was attacked, the attackers went away with the boat and engine, with other valuables belonging to the passengers.”
Pepple also said: “On August 24, workers’ boat coming from Bonny to Port Harcourt was attacked by unknown gunmen, and two passengers were taken away, and till date, they are still under captivity.
“Recently, at Tourist Beach Unit, Port Harcourt, we also recorded the captivity of a driver, deckhand, and occupants in the boat with two police officers on escort.
“The unknown gunmen are demanding N10 million as ransom for their release. These and many more are taking place in other units like Okrika, Kula, Bakana, Oyorokoto, Abonnema, etc,” he emphasised.
Comrade Pepple expressed displeasure over what he described as the inability of security agencies to do the needful to protect the lives and property of law-abiding citizens operating on the sea routes.
He stated that, what they do, rather, is to focus attention mostly on Multinational Oil Companies (IOCs), their equipment and workers due to the economic advantage they derive from there.
Pepple said: “To this end, we call on the Governments to save the souls of our teeming members, whose means of sustenance have consistently been threatened, and have lost so much to sea pirates and men of the underworld.”
“We urge the Government to ensure the release of kidnapped passengers onboard our boats recently. We also seek the provision of gun/houseboats at strategic locations for random patrol on the waterways in the State.
“Provision of financial support to the affected passengers and boat operators have suffered great loss due to the unforeseen tragedy,” he pleaded.
In response, Fubara, who frowned at the attacks on boat operators and sea travellers by pirates on sea routes in the state, urged residents to give accurate information to security agencies to tackle it.
Fubara also warned that his administration will no longer tolerate such criminality, and reassured of his administration’s commitment in securing the lives and property of all residents.
The governor, who was represented by the Head of Rivers State Civil Service, Dr George Nwaeke, commended them for performing their civic obligation by reporting criminality in their places of business to the authority.
Fubara reiterated that his administration is deeply interested in ensuring proper policing of every part of the State, which is why, he explained that the Rivers State Government has placed priority on peace, security of lives and property of residents.
He said, “The security of human beings and their property is one singular agenda of the government that this Governor has never joked with, and he is willing to do anything, even for the umpteenth time, to ensure that it is provided.
“The Governor is interested in proper policing of our State. But, you know the community policing that you hear about; people think that it is for us to form police in communities. No.
“Every person here is a community police. Whatever you see, you report, and whatever you think that is not very right, you give information to the right places. So, what you have done now is a civic responsibility, and I want to tell you that it will not be taken lightly,” he assured.
He also said: “So, to me, what you have done, you call it a protest, but it is not a protest. It is a civic responsibility, to show that having observed something, you are reporting it to the appropriate quarters.
“I want to assure you that this government will not leave any stone unturned to bring security to every person that is in this State.”
Fubara said that no right-thinking Rivers person will be happy about the wickedness of pirates on the sea routes they have listed, noting that the criminal elements perpetrating those crimes, are well-known, and live in communities among the people.
He, however, said that nobody has been very brave enough to provide information on them to the appropriate authority that will help in their arrest.
Fubara said: “Maybe, you are not sure that when you report, you will be safe. But you have to help the security agencies too with appropriate information.
“Bring information to the government, tell us about those people. This government does not condone bad habits. We do not harbour criminals in our midst.
“I don’t know the problems that may be on the waterways, but you know the flashpoints because that is the route you follow. Provide information about those flashpoints, we will do our best.”
