Pirates kidnap 8 fishermen in A/Ibom

Chief Mkpah, Transitional Chairman of Ibeno Local Government Area has said that pirates kidnapped eight fishermen in Akwa Ibom State.

Mkpah confirmed the kidnap in an interview with newsmen in Ibeno area of Akwa Ibom State yesterday. According to him, Ibeno is prone to piracy activities. “As I am speaking sea pirates are intensifying in the Ibeno community and they want to ensure that they stop fishermen from going to sea for fishing,’’ he said.

Mkpah said the pirates were demanding for millions of naira as ransom from the Williams the fishermen them.

He explained that the fishermen were made to pay levies by the pirates before they go for fishing in the area.

He alleged that “they have informant in our communities, who will inform them of the take off of a particular fisherman and possible routes where they are going for fishing.

“One of them was caught in Eket in the process of coming to collect ransom for somebody, one of the Ibeno boys made us to track him.”

``And he has made useful statement to the police but as I speak now I don’t know what the Police Command in Uyo is doing about it. before releasing

“Since the suspect was caught, the issue of sea pirates increased seriously and they are now demanding for their man.

“Since we don’t want to release their man, they have now resorted to kidnapping of every fishermen,’’ Mkpah said.

Mkpah called on the security operatives to be more proactive in combating sea piracy in the state.

“In a very short while we will declare hunger strike in this community because when we can no longer go to sea, we will all be starving.

“If the security agents in this state cannot rise to the challenge of the people of Ibeno and salvage us from this menace, Ibeno people will die of hunger,’’ he said.

He said that he has officially written to security operatives in the state but no response.

“I have reported the matter to DSS, Police, Navy and state government and they are all aware and I have sent reports but no response yet,’’ Mkpah said.

Reacting, the Public Relation Officer of the Police Command in Akwa Ibom, ASP. Cordelia Nwawe, said that they were not aware of the kidnap of the eight fishermen in Ibeno.

``They should make an official report to the Akwa Ibom Command for proper investigation. They should official tell the police, so I don’t have the report and I can’t comment on it,’’ Nwawe said. (NAN)