Former Bayelsa Deputy Speaker Decries Incessant Piracy, Kidnapping On Waterways

.Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh (M), flanked by Managing Director of APEC-Antwerp/Flanders Port Training Centre and Port of Antwerp International, Mr. Kristof Waterschoot (L), and Director at Port of Antwerp International, Mr. Mario Lievens, after a meeting at the Nigerian Belgian Chamber of Commerce, Onikan, Lagos, when the Port of Antwerp executives visited Nigeria, recently.

A former Deputy Speaker of Bayelsa House of Assembly; Mr Victor Sam-Ateke, has decried the incessant piracy and kidnapping on waterways in Nembe and Brass Local Government Areas of the state.

Sam-Ateke stated this in Yenagoa during a meeting with stakeholders in the Nembe and Brass Local Government Areas in Yenagoa.

The speaker, who read the communiqué drafted by the Prof. Kingsley Alagoa-led Communique Drafting Committee, said the people of Brass and Nembe had agreed to end piracy and kidnapping within their territory.

He added that people of Nembe and Brass had seriously lamented over the heightened attack and kidnapping in the past few weeks, which indicated a new trend of criminality.

According to him, during a news conference, the stakeholders lamented that no fewer than 13 of their residents had been abducted in the last two months with many still being held hostage.

He said the stakeholders had resolved to set up a Nembe Security Network (NSN) to assist the security agencies in gathering and sharing intelligence.

He said that an advocacy and sensitisation committee would be set up to visit community leaders and engage with them with a view to fishing out pirates and kidnappers.

“The committee would  engage the government and the security agencies to fish out the criminal elements in the state.

“We want to warn the pirates and kidnappers strongly to keep-off Nembe and Brass local government areas’ waterways or face the wrath of the law and the ‘gods of our land’.

“We also demand the immediate and unconditional release of the hostages in their custody.

He noted that their nefarious activities involved waylaying of speedboats conveying travelers to Akassa, Nembe, Twon Brass, Okpoama, Odioama, Fantuo, Egwema, Nembe Creek, Okoroma, Oluasiri, Sangana, Opu-Okumbiri, Oginibiri, among others.

“Meanwhile, we appeal to the Bayelsa State Governor, Sen. Douye Diri, to come to the rescue of the Nembe/Brass people.

“We also call on the Commander, Operation Delta Safe; the Flag Officer Commanding, the Central Naval Command, and the State Director of Department of State Services.

“Others are the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to support this effort aimed at bringing peace and security to the state.

“We, the stakeholders appeal to well-meaning individuals from Nembe/Brass, the international oil companies (IOCs) and other Nigerians to support the efforts being made to enthrone safety along the waterways,” he said.