Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has frowned at the increasing wave of attacks on boat operators and sea travellers by pirates on sea routes in the state warning that his administration will no longer tolerate such criminality.
He gave the commitment of his administration to the security of lives and property of all residents by ensuring that they can go about their genuine and productive activities without fear of molestation.
The Governor gave the assurance when he received a delegation of the Rivers Commercial District of the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN), who came to Government House in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, to formally draw the attention of the government to their plight and seek immediate intervention.
Represented by the Head of Rivers State Civil Service, Dr George Nwaeke, Governor Fubara commended them for performing their civic obligation by reporting criminality in their places of business to the authority.
Gov. Fubara reiterated that his administration was deeply interested in ensuring proper policing of every part of the state, which was 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.
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“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”.
Governor Fubara insisted: “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.”
Governor Fubara considered the catalogue of complaints made by the union and observed that no right-thinking Rivers person will be happy about the wickedness of pirates on the sea routes they have listed.
He said the criminal elements perpetrating those crimes, were well-known and live in communities among the people but nobody has been very brave enough to provide information on them to the appropriate authority to aid their arrest.
Gov. 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.
“Every Simplified Rivers person knows that one of the things that we don’t want to hear is violence. We aim to totally destroy violence in Rivers State.”
In his address, the Chairman, Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Rivers Commercial District, Comrade Israel Waribo Pepple, said there has been incessant piracy attacks on members of the union on the waterways, adding that their nefarious activities have given them sleepless nights and held their operations hostage.
Comrade Pepple stated that sea pirate attacks on the union’s members often lead to most of them or their passengers taken hostage or killed while carting away personal belongings, including member’s boats.
Pepple reported: “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.”
He added: “On Auqust 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.
The MWUN chairman expressed displeasure over what he described as the inability of security agencies to do the needful to protect 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 therefrom.
Comrade 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.”
He added, “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.
