Help! We’re Under Pirates Siege, Delta Communities Cry To Buhari, IGP

The people of Egragbene community in Ramos river between Burutu and Bomadi Local Government Areas have cried out to President Muhammadu Buhari, Inspector General of Police and other security agencies as sea pirates continued to raid their homes ceaselessly.

The community leaders who didn’t want their name mentioned for fear of attack from the pirates, said that the development is causing serious panic as the pirates continued to raid and hold sway in several communities in the creeks.

In November 20, BIGPEN Online reported that gunmen believed to be sea pirates bombed the residence of a community leader in Egrangbene, Burutu Local Government Area of Delta state.

The suspected pirates also overran over eight other Delta Communities in Burutu and Bomadi Local Government Areas of the state.

BIGPEN Online was told that the gunmen have been terrorizing the area unchallenged for a long time now.

Sources said that the attack was to cow the communities who have been reportedly resisting their nefarious activities within the area.

“The activities of the seapirates who patrol the creeks of Egragbene through the Ramos river on daily basis has caused serious tension within the area”, a resident who craved anonymity said.

Local sources said that the community leader whose house was bombed and his family were not at home when the gun wielders stormed the area.

In the latest attack, the sea pirates who have no base came into the communities with guns, shot sporadically, kidnap and robbed indigenes.

“They (sea pirates) also raped women in the Communities and girls” one of the resident said adding that workers of oil multinational companies in the area can longer go to work.

According to the sources who refused to disclosed their identities for fear that they would be attack by the pirates, said that the persistent onslaught have brought commercial, farming and fishing activities to a halt in the affected areas.

“The situation is now worse as there are no security personnel on grounds to confront, chased and arrest the seapirates”, residents said.

The Communities that affected includes, Egragbene, Ikogbene, Orugbene, Abediama, Ekumugbene, Ebieregbene, Kalafiogbene and Agoro-Delta Communities.

Others include Ogriagbene, Enekorogha, Ndoro and other Communities within the Ramos River.

Apparently worried over the nonchalant attitude of the state government, and other relevant security agencies to their plight, the communities leaders called on President Buhari to prevail on the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu to move in and arrest the situation.

“The Joint Task Force, JTF, Army, Navy, Air force, Police and Civil Defence are nowhere to be found here.

“The Sea pirates raid us everyday and night, kill our people, rape our women and even rob us.

“As it is, we cannot access the waterways, we cannot travel and or even do our businesses.

“The Delta State Government is even worse because they’re not doing anything to help us after several appeals to them to help us”, concerned Citizens who spoke with newsmen in neighbouring Patani Community, Delta State where some had fled to said.

When contacted, the Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Adeyinka Adeleke in a telephone chat with one of our Correspondent, said he needs to have holistic views of the area if the situation is getting worse so as to find a way to curb the menace of the sea pirates.

The Burutu Council Chairman, Hon. Godknows Angele who earlier confirmed the report, said,”I had a call over the development from Ekogbene where sea pirates have laid siege in the Communities particularly Ekogbene, Egrangbene, Ndoro and other Communities.

“I will send a delegation to Ekogbene to assess the level of damage caused by the bombing of the Community Chairman’s residence over the Community’s resistance of the evil.”