Save us from pirates, 11 Delta communities cry out to Buhari

Residents of about 11 communities in Burutu and Bomadi local government areas of Delta State, who are reportedly under serious attacks by pirates, have called on President Muhammed Buhari to come to their rescue.

The affected communities include Egragbene, Ikogbene, Orugbene, Abediama, Ekunugbene, Ebieregbene, Kalafiogbene and Agboro-Delta communities.

Others are Ogriagbene, Enekorogha, Ndoro and other communities along the Ramos River.

The communities, in a save-our-soul message to President Buhari late Tuesday night, disclosed that efforts to get the intervention of the local and state governments, as well as security operatives, had proved abortive.

They disclosed that the pirates, who patrol the creeks daily, have been laying a siege to the communities for over three months, maiming, stealing and raping their women and girls.

The Chairman of Egragbene community and his family reportedly escaped by the whiskers as they were not indoor when their house was reportedly bombed on Monday night.

Speaking to newsmen in Warri late Tuesday, “Concerned Citizens” who chose to be anonymous, appealed to the Federal Government for a swift intervention.

According to them, commercial activities in the communities have been brought to a halt, causing untold hardship on the people.

“We are under siege by pirates who have locked down all commercial activities in those areas of Burutu and Bomadi.

“As we speak, no commercial boat, no fishing activities, no farming or tapping is effective, as all the people are afraid of being kidnapped, beaten or killed, or the women being raped.

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“We have made several attempts to the government through the LGA chairman, to the state and also appealed to security agents, the JTF, the Nigerian Navy and Army to come to our rescue, all to no avail.

“We are seriously appealing to the government and particularly, the military to hear our cry as we are being maimed, our women raped, properties stolen at gunpoint and loss of lives well recorded in these areas.

“The delay of government to reach us in this request has made life extremely difficult for the people.

“We believe in the government of the day and we also believe that the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under President Buhari, is capable of containing these unscrupulous gunmen in the once peaceful Ramos River and it environs in the Niger Delta,” the chairman pleaded.

Chairman of Burutu LGA, Hon. Godknows Angele, who confirmed the development, related how he received distressed calls from Ekogbene where pirates have laid siege including Egrangbene, Ndoro and other communities.

The Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Adeyinka Adeleke, was reported to have taken briefs from the communities on the current situation and doing everything to bring the situation under control.