By Mark Lenu
Okrikans living in the Abuloma axis of Port Harcourt have pleaded with Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State to protect them from incessant sea pirate attacks.
The residents of the area said their waterways are no longer safe for travel, following the menace of sea robbers operating in the area.
They said the sea robbers had been hijacking passenger boats, robbing them of their valuables before whisking them away to an unknown destination for ransom.
A prominent leader of Okrikan communities in Port Harcourt, Hon Sam Ateke told our correspondent that the attacks on sea travellers by pirates especially around the Abuloma/Kalio water route are alarming.
He therefore called on the governor and the security agencies to beef up security on the waterways to forestall further attacks on innocent passengers by sea robbers.
Sam narrated the recent attack as saying: “Last week, some sea pirates attacked a boat fully loaded with passengers, traveling from Abuloma to Kalio at about 8 pm. The phones, ATM cards, cash, and the engine of the boat were robbed.
“The driver and two passengers were abducted and released days later.
The driver of the boat said their captors took them to Borikiri creeks within the Enithonia axis of Port Harcourt.
“This has been happening for the past few months and it is becoming alarming, please if you are traveling by sea, once it gets to 7:30pm, avoid passing through Kalio-Abuloma route.”
