Nigerian piracy: locals beg for help

Situation in riverine areas is becoming intolerable for locals.

Piracy: Bayelsans beg government to declare state of emergency on waterways

BY Samuel Oyadongha

Yenagoa—Worried by the upsurge in attacks by pirates on marine commuters in Bayelsa State, Bayelsans have called on the government to declare a state of emergency on the creeks and waterways.

They also want the government to deploy personnel to the creeks with a view to safeguarding the lives and property of innocent travellers.

The appeal is coming on the heels of last Friday’s attack on a passenger boat heading to Okpoama in the East senatorial district of the state in which three persons, including an aide to a former commissioner and a boat driver lost their lives.

An environmentalist, Mr. Alagoa Morris, who spoke to Vanguard yesterday, in Yenagoa, said: “Pirates rampaging in the creeks of Bayelsa State are denying fellow Ijaws of their lives and property. The state government should declare an emergency on the creeks and mobilise funds to take care of men and materials with a view to safe-guarding the lives of innocent commuters.”

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Source: vanguardngr.com