By Jite Eriabie
The Bayelsa Government has condemned the attack by pirates on an oil services vessel on Friday which left three crewmen including two security escorts dead in Ekebiri waterways in the state.
The government said that reports at its disposal indicate that a police officer, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps. NSCDC personnel and a civilian crew member in the ill-fated vessel lost their lives in the attack.
The government which conveyed its position in a statement on Sunday issued by its commissioner for information, Jonathan Obuebite, described the action as criminal and called for an investigation.
Obuebite expressed his sadness and disappointment over the incident stating that it was ”sad, uncalled for and unacceptable.”
On September 22, at about 06:45 a.m., a tugboat, towing a barge with a combined team of security escort and civilians onboard were attacked by suspected sea pirates at Ekebiri Waterways in Southern Ijaw LGA, Bayelsa was attacked.
Obuebite stated there was no justification for crime and criminality in the state, in the face of ongoing transformation that is being initiated by the Seriake Dickson led government in Bayelsa.
He explained that it is obvious that the attack was purely an act of criminality, deliberately carried out to rubbish the security and peace efforts of the government by some disgruntled elements operating under the guise of sea pirates.
The Commissioner expressed the sympathy of the state government to the immediate families of the deceased police officer, NSCDC Personnel, the civilian death, the Bayelsa Commands of NSCDC and the Nigeria Police.
He called for a comprehensive investigation to identify those behind the act and to bring them to justice.
“To us as a government, we have taken a stand to not only curb crime and criminality in the state but to flush it out entirely and that is not negotiable.
“We would not fold our arms and allow a few miscreants to tamper with the peace and security we have laboured to bring to our state,” he said.
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