Briga News Nigeria
Women from Bille Kingdom in Degema LGA, Rivers State staged a peaceful protest at the Rivers State Government House, decrying the persistent attacks by sea pirates along their waterways.
The protesters called on the State Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Retired), to urgently implement concrete security measures to protect lives and restore order in the region’s maritime corridors.
This protest follows a series of pirate attacks in recent weeks. On April 4, 2025, six travelers from Bille were abducted near the New Calabar River while en route to Port Harcourt. They were held for 12 days and released after a ransom of ₦28 million was paid.
Just three days later, on April 7, five passengers traveling from Port Harcourt to Bille were kidnapped by pirates along the waterways.
These incidents have left residents in fear and crippled water transport, the only access route to Bille.
Carrying placards and chanting solidarity songs, the women demanded stronger security patrols and a permanent government presence on the waterways to end the ongoing crisis.
Photos Source: Allwell Ene
