Bayelsa coastal residents: Hunted by pirates, killed by boat accidents

The plight of residents of riverine communities in Bayelsa State has continued to worsen over the incessant sea pirates’ attacks, kidnapping and recently the rise in boat mishaps due to persistent rain which cause bad weather and poor visibility in the waterways has been of concern, Daily Trust on Sunday reports.

Though the country derives a bulk of its wealth from the coastal line of the Niger Delta region, residents of such areas face several challenges; ranging from accessibility to good infrastructures, education, health facilities, potable water and others related to the terrain of the area.

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Most of the communities in Bayelsa State are located around the bank of the Atlantic Ocean, and have not been linked to Yenagoa, the state capital and other communities by road. Out of the eight local government areas of the state, only the headquarters of five can be accessed by road, while Southern Ijaw, Ekeremor and Brass are not accessible by road.

While the five local governments of Yenagoa, Ogbia, Sagbama, Nembe and Kolokuma/Opokuma can be accessed by road, several communities under them are still linked through the river.

On creation of Bayelsa State from old Rivers State in 1996, only Yenagoa, Ogbia and Kolokuma/Opokuma had existing bridges that could link the areas to other places.

While the first civilian governor of the state, late Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha constructed a bridge across River Nun to Amassoma, the host town of the Niger Delta University, immediate past governor of the state, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson constructed roads with bridges to Nembe and some coastal communities in Ogbia Local Government Area.

Dickson also constructed roads to Sagbama Local Government Area, worked on the Ekeremor Link Road to an appreciable level, and also started the first phase of road construction to Southern Ijaw before his tenure elapsed in February 2020. However, the present government has taken the Southern Ijaw Road project further.

Daily Trust on Sunday gathered that if, at least, all the eight local government headquarters of the state are linked by road, the security challenges faced by residents of coastal communities on the waterways as well as incessant boat mishaps would be reduced.

Several residents of coastal communities in the state have been victims of kidnapping and attacks by sea pirates while trying to travel to either the state capital or other towns in the state.

Recently, gunmen suspected to be sea pirates abducted eight passengers in a Yenagoa bound speed boat along Brass-Yenagoa waterways in the state.

According to sources at Brass jetty, the ill-fated boat carrying about 15 passengers was said to have departed Egweama water front in Brass Local Government Area with the passengers returning from a burial before being ambushed by the hoodlums in the middle of the sea.

While eight of the passengers were abducted into the creeks, seven were freed after the rescue team engaged the hoodlums. Several other incidents of pirates’ attacks abound.

Chairman Maritime Workers Union in Brass Local Government Area, Mr. Daniel Biodoumoye, who confirmed the attack, said the suspected pirates reportedly intercepted the 200 horse power engine boat close to the rice farm and fled with eight of the fifteen passengers.

He said a combined rescue team of marine police, the union leadership, and others rescued the seven lucky passengers who were abandoned by the armed pirates.

Commenting on the disturbing issue, the Regent of Egwe Ibe Community, Chief Timipre Saka-Yabi, who condemned the kidnap, urged government to put necessary measures in place to ensure that the waterways are safe for travellers.

Aside from the recent incident, several innocent citizens have lost their lives, while some have been forced to part with their hard-earned resources to pay ransom to kidnappers on the high seas.

According to the residents, if the communities are linked by road, at least 80 per cent of the criminality on the waterways will reduce drastically.

Aside from pirates’ attacks, boat accidents are another recurring decimal. In the past one week, about 15 persons have lost their lives to boat accidents on the high seas.

On Saturday, June 18, 2022, a female member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), a pregnant woman and five other passengers lost their lives in a boat mishap along Otuan and Ayama communities in Southern Ijaw LGA. Five days later, eight persons drowned along Oyoma River, near Oporoma, the headquarters of the same Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.

Among the victims were a mother with her two kids and 70-year-old Otuan Chief and father to a Bayelsa-based journalist, Chief Lucky Daniels. 

Reacting to the incident, Bayelsa State chairman of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), Ipigansi Ogoniba, said the union has prohibited any boat from loading without passengers wearing life jackets, saying if any boat flaunts the order, it will be handed over to the police.

The Bayelsa State Government had last year prohibited movement of any boat in the waterways at night and also made it compulsory for all passengers to wear life jackets, urging boat operators to adopt attached safety measures for their passengers.

However, the Bayelsa State Police command has promised to ensure the safety of all residents of the state both in the waterways and upland.

The state police spokesman, SP Asinim Butswat, while confirming the two recent boat mishaps, said the command is investigating the cause of the incidents. 

Moved by the plights of the riverine communities, the state government recently flagged off the road construction from Nembe to Brass local government area.

The road when completed will open up the Brass Island, which has key national economic assets such as the Agip oil export terminal, the ongoing Brass Liquefied Natural Gas and the Brass Fertilizer and Petrochemical projects.

Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, who flagged off the road construction, commended Governor Douye Diri for commencing the project.

Speaking at the flag off, the governor said the road had suffered several setbacks but that his administration was determined to bring to an end the sufferings of the people of Nembe and Brass in the hands of sea pirates and kidnappers.

Already, the Amanyanabo of Nembe, King Edmund Daukoru; Amanyanabo of Twon-Brass and first Military Administrator of Old Rivers State, King Alfred Diete-Spiff; as well as the Amanyanabo  of Okpoama Kingdom, King Ebitimi Banigo, have all expressed gratitude to Governor Diri for bringing to fruition a dream that had long been on their minds.