Youths from Bonny Local Government Area, Rivers State have begged Governor Nyesom Wike to save the council from incessant pirates’ attacks on travellers along the waterways leading to the area.
Hundreds of youths stormed the Government House, Port Harcourt, on Thursday, January 14, 2021, for a peaceful protest.
They lamented that constant violence against traders by sea robbers deepened hardship in Bonny as traders involved in bringing food items to the Island suspended further transactions.
One of the Bonny residents, Furo Boma, said the criminals attacked and raped women at will, adding that the development caused a food shortage in Bonny.
She said: “Our women are being raped by the day. We do not have food again. Any boat that is bringing food for our people Pirates will hijack it.
“People living at Bonny Island do not sleep with their eyes closed because of recurrent attacks by sea pirates. It has not been easy with Bonny people. We no longer travel home to meet your parents.”
Boma called on the governor of the state to intervene and restore sanity on the waterways insisting that the development was beyond their local government council.
She said: “Today, we have come to meet with the governor. He is the only hope that we have because it is obvious that noting is coming out from the local government.
“We have come to see the governor because we voted for him. One of the reasons we voted for him is that he promised to give us security and one area affected is Bonny. We have come here today to say enough is enough.
“We came here with the consent of our fathers. They know we are here. The governor should come and save Bonny people from pirates.
“We don’t want to take laws into our hands that is the reason we have come to say let the government fight for us.”
Source: The Nation
