By Samuel Oyadongha
Yenagoa – Armed pirates Thursday evening terrorized passenger boats on the Nembe Creek in the Bayelsa East senatorial district dispossessing them of their cash and other valuables.

The rampaging pirates it was also learnt snatched and carted away an empty new casket being conveyed to Nembe to an unknown destination.

Though no lives were lost in the pirates’ attack it was gathered that the victims who sailed from the Ogbia jetty were heading to Nembe for a burial ceremony when they came under attack from the pirates about 10 nautical miles away from their destination.

Sources told Saturday Vanguard that the hoodlums made their victims to run into the mangrove before disappearing into the labyrinth of creek to unknown destination.

The snatched casket it was learnt was meant for the burial of one late Madam Mercy aka “No wan”.
An indigene of Nembe, Chief Nengi James who incidentally was a former Acting President of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) to our correspondent that the incident occurred between 6 and 7pm when the victims were travelling to the coastal island for a wake keep.

According to him, one of the speedboats was alleged to be conveying cash running into millions of naira meant for the payment of workers during the attack.

It could however not be ascertained if the bandits made away with the money.

Contacted on the development, the Bayelsa Police Command Public Relations Officer, Mr. Eguavoen Emokpae (ASP) said he was yet to receive signals from Nembe police division on the Atlantic fringe.