Sophia Michaels
A passenger boat has been hijacked by suspected pirates along the Soku-Abonema waterways in the Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The incident happened on Wednesday evening, August 2, 2023, when the boat was said to be heading to Soku from Abonema.
It was gathered that the hoodlums ferried the passengers into the mangrove, drop them alongside the driver, and sped off with the boat.
Confirming the incident to Punch, the Chairman, Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, Rivers State chapter, Isreal Pepple, said the frequent attacks along the waterways were worrisome.
Pepple further said people were now afraid to travel along the waterways, even as he expressed concerns over the safety of those in the mangrove.
“Just to inform you that this evening information reaching our state office is that some sea pirates attacked our boats that were moving from Abonema to Soku,” he said.
“They have hijacked the boat and right now passengers are scared to travel from Abonema to Soku and many passengers are stranded at the Abonema jetty.
“As we can confirm right from the one that we have been complaining the marine police doesn’t have any gun boat to operate in that area. The whole of Akuku-Toru and Asari-Toru, no gunboat to check that area,”
He, therefore, appealed to the state governor, Siminilayi Fubara, and the security agencies to come to the people’s rescue.
“It is very embarrassing that I just spoke with the Officer in Charge of the Marine Police in Rivers State Command. He told me that the Marine Police in that area doesn’t have a gunboat that in the entire Rivers State, they have only four gunboats
“It will be difficult for our people to travel from Abonema to Soku. So that is the situation we are in now. Please, you people (media) should help us to make sure that this information gets to our dear Governor to look into the security of our waterways. It is becoming very alarming.”
Speaking, the member representing Akuku-Tory Constituency in the State House of Assembly, Lolo Opuende expressed dismay that pirate attacks have lingered in the area.
“The incident that happened in the Soku-Abonema River was very unfortunate. Normal boat drivers who were conveying building materials to Soku and to go back. It’s very unfortunate they were attacked by pirates. They took their boats and engines. Considering the cost of engines and boats now. They drop the people (passengers) in the mangrove and went away with the boat.”
The lawmaker queried the surveillance team set up by Nigeria’s former president to tackle insecurity along the waterways.
“The Federal Government created jobs for Tompolo (ex-agitator, High Chief Government Ekpemepulo) a.k.a Tompolo. Through Tompolo, some other persons from our area, Soku, Damma, and some other places where oil exploration is taking place,”
“They employed security workers who are supposed to secure or fight against illegal crude oil refining. If actually, these people are working, there shouldn’t have been issues like this. I think the people are actually doing their work, ” Opuende said
