Bonny Local Government Area in Rivers State is noted for its rich crude oil reserves. But beyond the oil business predominantly operated by international conglomerates, the local communities depend on fishing activities in the Bonny River to survive.

Their endeavour is now being threatened by incessant attacks by sea pirates; fishermen in the locality are now crying to authorities for help.

Peoples Gazette learnt that in early January 2021, youth returning from a Yuletide masquerade display at Dema-Banigo community, a nearby community to the Bonny Island were attacked, killed, and a boat engine seized.

Some fishermen who spoke separately told the Gazette that the river is no longer safe for fishing as usual, and their lives are threatened whenever they take their boats to the river to fish.

Promise Bristol, chairman, Bonny Indigenous fishermen said following the attack of the youth, about three persons were found dead in the river, while two others who survived, swam to the creek and several others are yet to be found.

The Gazette understands that one of the dead victims recently gained a scholarship to study abroad.

Mr. Bristol told the Gazette that the attacks happen regularly and the fishermen are the “sea pirates’ major focus due to the expensive nature of the boat engine used for a catch.”

He said fishermen no longer go to the sea to fish due to fear of attacks by sea pirates.

Tamunoibitorusiye Akakaboca, a fishing patron who has several fishermen working for him within and outside the shores of Bonny told the Gazette that since December 2020, her workers have refused to return to Bonny due to the ceaseless attacks on fishermen in Bonny River, and have decided to settle in Cotonou.

“In December either the first or second week, one of our fishermen who specialises in catching crayfish was attacked and shot by sea pirates.

“They took the new boat engine which cost N1.8 million and shot him for struggling with them. He struggled with them because, that was the first time he used the engine,” Ms. Akakaboca said.

The fishermen appealed to the security agencies to help secure the river, as the unending attacks have stopped their livelihood.

To drive home their demands, youths in Bonny have taken to the streets in protest, calling for an end to sea piracy, the Gazette learnt.

They are also campaigning on social media with the hashtag #endbonnykillings, and #endseapiracyinbonny.

The people of Bonny have continued to call on the state governor to intervene in the killings on seas.

Governor Nyesom Wike on Saturday commissioned the Bonny Nembe Jetty. A jetty that the governor himself criticised for the shoddy work done.

Bonny hosts several oil companies inside the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) field. Residents have accused the NLNG for not supporting security personnel in the community to help secure the community.

But a source in the company told the Gazette that the company provides at least a drum of fuel weekly for security personnel to patrol, a provision that has been described as “inadequate” by a top federal official who preferred anonymity.