By: Felix Ikpotor
Worried by the activities of suspected sea pirates on the Bonny-Port Harcourt waterways, the Senate on Thursday, charged security agencies to step up their surveillance on the route.
The red chamber gave the charge following a motion on piracy attacks on Bonny-Port-Harcourt waterways, by Sen. Betty Apiafi (PDP, Rivers West).
The Senate also mandated the Committee on Works to ensure adequate funding in the 2020 budget for the completion of the waterways.
Apiafi in her motion at plenary recalled how four boats were attacked on Sept. 26 by pirates, who dispossessed the passengers of their properties while some were kidnapped.
“This unprecedented challenge on the Bonny-Port-Harcourt waterways have put many travellers at risk and almost on a daily basis, armed bandits kidnap commuters, ” Apiafi said.
According to her, the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLG) will soon commence its project along that route. Which will increase traffic along the waterways and put more lives at risk?
Sen. Thompson George Sekibo (PDP, Rivers East), while seconding the motion, said the activities of sea pirates had led to the abduction, killing and rape of Nigerians using the waterways.
