A royal father in Bille Kingdom of Degema Local Government Area of Rivers state, Alabo Bennett Okpokiye-Dokubo, has raised the alarm over incessant attacks by sea Pirates on Bille waterways.
Dokubo, who cried out to newsmen in Port Harcourt, the State capital on Tuesday, said the activities of the criminals led to the death of one Abraham Anthony Alex, while some others sustained different degrees of injury.
He disclosed that the armed criminals who dressed in Army camouflage have constantly attacked travelers on the middle of the high sea, dispossess them of their belongings and the passenger boat they were travelling in, leaving them stranded at the middle of nowhere.
He said, “The Amanyanabo-in-Council, the Chiefs and the people of Bille Kingdom, humbly draw your attention to the recurrent and indeed, renewed attacks on Bille passenger boats by unidentified gunmen dressed in military camouflage.
“The ugly incident has culminated in the death of one passenger, Mr. Abraham Anthony Alex, left two others injured.”
Dokubo, who is the Chairman Bille Kingdom council of chiefs, said the Kingdom is under the siege of the criminals. He called Council’s in the state and Federal Government to save their souls.
He said that economic activities in the area have been grounded, regretting that businessmen and women, civil servants and students who travelled home over the weekend are still stranded as movement in and out of the community have been halted.
“Life has become unbearable within Bille Kingdom by reason of the unprovoked attacks. We are suffering in the hands of pirates,” he lamented.
He called on the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike and the Federal Government to urgently put appropriate measures to end the rise in pirate attacks in the area.
However, the Police in the state denied knowledge of the plight of marine passengers in the area.
The spokesman of the state Police command, Nnamdi Omoni, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, who was contacted on phone Tuesday, said the police was not aware of the development but promised to follow it up and ensure they intensify patrol along the area.
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