Bakana Boat Drivers Union, an umbrella body of boat operators  in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers state, has called on the state government to deploy Navy and Marine police to waterways as a way of curbing sea piracy in the state.
Chairman of the union, Alabo Benson Yellow, made the appeal while speaking to newsmen in Port Harcourt on the recent boat attack that led to the killing of three passengers at Bille Jetty by pirates, at the weekend.
Yellow decried the act of piracy at Bonny, Bakana, Billie and Okrika waterways, saying the activities of sea robbers have hampered sea operations and lowered economic activities in the areas.
Yellow noted that passengers were now afraid to travel by water due to fear of possible abduction along the waterways.
“It is unusual that boat drivers are kidnapped on daily basis by pirates and taken hostage” he said.
Yellow appealed to the state government to curb the act of insecurity along Port Harcourt/Bakana waterways to save lives and property, saying the act has portrayed the communities in a negative way.
“We want the state government to intervene in our plight by making the waterways safe for drivers and passengers plying the routes.
“The waterways across the state is now in trouble as passengers are scared of boarding boats to their homes even as Christmas is near”, he said.
The Chairman called for a regular patrol of  the routes by the security agencies to save lives and property.
Describing piracy as a crime Yellow appealed to the youths to shun acts of criminality and embrace genuine means of livelihood.