SEA PIRACY: RIVERS STATE GOVERNMENT INTERVENES IN BONNY COMMUNITY

There seems to be some respite coming for the inhabitants of Bonny Island in Rivers State who have had to live through the trauma of incessant attacks of sea pirates on the Bonny-Port Harcourt sea route. This was made clear to the people of Bonny local government area on Friday, December 7, 2007 by the executive Governor of the state, Chief Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi when he met with stakeholders at the Ibanise Hall, Bonny.
Speaking at the occasion, Governor Amaechi said he identified with the sufferings of the commmunity especially in the horrifying incidents of sea piracy being witnessed by travelers transiting the sea route between Bonny and Port Harcourt. According to the Governor, "sea piracy and other nefarious activities of criminal minded individuals constitute a threat to development and social harmony and needs to be checked." He therefore ordered the navy to increase the patrol of the sea route and deal decisively with any miscreants found terrorising travelers along the sea route.
The Governor who was on his first official visit to the Bonny community since assuming office as the Executive Governor of the Rivers State was accompanied by the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Felix Ogbaudu, the Brigade Commander of the 2nd Amphibious Brigade, the Flag Officer Commanding NNS Okemini, the state Director of SSS and other government functionaries.
In attendance at the stakeholders' meeting was the Amanyanabo of Bonny, King Edward Asimini Willaim Dappa-Pepple, Perekule XI, JP and his Council of Chiefs. expressing his appreciation to the state Chief Executive for the visit, the Chairman of the Bonny Council of Chiefs, Chief Reginald Abbey-Hart, in his Vote of Thanks, said it "was a welcome development for the people of the community that the plight of the people was being considered a priority by the new administration in the state."
In a related development, the Leader of the Bonny Youth Federation, Mr. Ibifubara Willie-Pepple has stated that he was very pleased with the visit of the state Governor to the Bonny Community and the placing of the needs of youths in the state as priority issues of the government. Speaking to this reporter after the Stakeholders' Meeting, he explained that "the issue of unemployment was the main problem confronting the youths of the Niger Delta and it was a good thing that Governor Amaechi was making it priority at the onset of his administration," he said.