Reports say a passengers’ boat coming from Bille kingdom in Degema local Government Area of Rivers State to Port Harcourt was Monday, attacked by unknown gunmen in military camouflage.
The gunmen are suspected to be sea pirates who have been terrorizing the route in the past months.
A passenger identified as Mr Abraham Anthony was allegedly killed while two others, Mr. Diepiriye Isaac and Mr. Ori-ipirite Ebi were injured.
Speaking on the incident, Chairman Bille Council of Chiefs, Alabo Benett Okpokiye-Dokubo in an interview with Newsmen in Port Harcourt, appealed to the Federal Government and relevant security agencies to come to their aid by putting in place measures that would stop the continued attack on Bille waterways.
Chief Okpokiye-Dokubo stated that after much reports by the people of the area, officers of the 29th Battalion Tactical Headquarters, Nigerian Army, came to their aid for about three weeks, but the attacks resumed shortly after the Army stopped escorting passenger boats on Bille waterways.
He lambasted the Degema Council Chairman, Mr. Tony Philemon, whom he claimed has not done enough to protect the people of the area.
“The Bille people are not happy, we are very sure that even the Chairman of our local government gets security vote, we should be secure and protected, but the reverse is the case. We have not provoked any person or group of people to warrant the unprecedented attacks on Bille passengers on the waterways. We state that life has become unbearable within the Bille kingdom by reason of the unprovoked attacks by these unidentified gunmen.
“We also call on the Rivers State House Assembly to urgently make its findings on the Bille waterways and to work closely with all relevant government agencies towards putting an end to the loss of lives, trauma and economic losses suffered by Bille people”
“When all these incidents prior to the immediate past one happened, the Bille kingdom Chiefs Council wrote several petition and the governor of Rivers State in conjunction with the River state House Assembly addressed our issue, the outcome was the order given to the Chairman of Degema local government, Tony Philemon, to immediately provide security to Bille people, particularly the 29 tactical battalion residing in Bille to continue escorting the Bille passenger boat to and fro until a lasting solution is provided.
“Quite unfortunately the Chairman only made vain promises. He promised us in private meeting with him that he has set up security apparatus on ground that we shouldn’t worry, since then he has failed to receive calls, we sent him several messages no response. We don’t know why the military ceased to escort our boat”
“Currently as I speak there is no movement on our water ways, Bille people is confined to there towns and villages, they cannot come to Port Harcourt or Port Harcourt to Bille after the yesterday’s attack. This is a serious economy threat to us as Bille people”
Meanwhile, efforts to reach the chairman Degema Local Government Area proved abortive as calls to his line were not returned.
When contacted, the Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, Nnamdi Omoni said his office has not been briefed on the incident.
