Unknown gunmen attack fishermen, steal outboard engines in Akwa Ibom

A group of unknown gunmen who were suspected to be sea pirates on Tuesday attacked fishermen on the high sea and made off with their outboard engines off the coast of Ibaka in the Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

More so, the attack happened scarcely 24 hours after the fishermen under the auspices WatchOut Cooperative Society in Ibaka protested the incessant attacks and abductions of their members in the state.

The fishermen, however,  called on the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) and security agencies to save them from daily attacks by the sea pirates.

Meanwhile, the lawyer representing some of the fishermen, Oluwajuwon Ogunbiyi, while speaking with newsmen in Uyo on Wednesday, said that about 25 fishermen aboard the boats were stranded on the sea because people were afraid to go for a rescue operation for fear of being attack.

“Last night, around 7 pm, we got a report that the sea pirates attacked two board engines off the coast of Ibaka. Those people are now stranded on the waterways. About 20 persons were in the bigger boat, while the other one contained five people,” Ogunbiyi said.

“No one could go there that night for rescue operation for fear of being attacked. These fishermen are still stranded on the waterways,” he added