JOE EFFIONG, UYO
Fishermen plying their trade in the Atlantic shores of Ibeno, in Akwa Ibom State, have accused Nigerian security agencies of neglect by standing aloof to watch sea pirates subject them to incessant harrowing treatments.
The fishermen made up of people of different tribes and nationalities such the Ijaw, Yoruba, Obolo and Ghanaians lamented that they are being robbed on daily basis and dispossessed of their outboard engines by the hoodlums while the many security agents on the sea turn blind eyes to the crime and their plight.
They claim that more than 50 pieces of their outboard engines have been seized by sea pirates between last December and April 2023, adding that scores of them have also been kidnapped and even killed.
Chief Golden Ogungbemi, the leader of the Yoruba community in Upenekang, said the fishermen are now afraid of sailing into the high sea to catch fish and that has resulted not only in hardship for them and their families but scarcity and high cost of fish
Ogungbemi expressed their helplessness as security operatives on the sea refused to come to their help.
“Our major problem is the issue of sea pirates. They have been unleashing mayhem on fishermen to the extent that we are no longer going to the sea. The situation is so bad that whenever fishermen go to the sea, they (pirates) confront us at gunpoint and seize our outboard engines.
“In March alone, that’s last month, fishermen lost about 30 pieces of outboard engines to the sea pirates. Just this month of April, they came again and dispossessed the fishermen of about 20 pieces of outboard engines. Each engine is about N3 Million.
“This has been a recurring decimal. We have been facing this situation for the past 10 years. Some of the fishermen have been kidnapped and ransom demanded and paid. Most times we pay up to N500,000 for the sea pirates to release our engine to us”, Chief Ogungbemi lamented.
One of the victims, Mr. Christopher Nathaniel, said he was attacked by the pirates on Sunday and his engine stolen.
” The pirates gave me their phone number and asked me to call them and pay N500,000 to get my engine back which I have done”.
On security he said, “there are quite a number of marine policemen and navy operatives on the sea. They are protecting oil company facilities and their workers and have never helped us when we are attacked”.
The State Police Command through its spokesperson, Mr Odiko MacDon (SP) confirmed the incidence of attacks on fishermen by sea pirates.
MacDon said that the police have always collaborated with other security agencies, especially the navy in tackling the hoodlums.
He added that the police had rescued over 28 victims and recovered their engines while 10 suspected sea pirates had been arrested and currently facing prosecution.