CHINEDU WOSU, Yenagoa
Opu-Okumbiri Community in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa state on Wednesday raises alarm over the frequent attacks by unwarranted trawlers on local fishermen in the continental shelf shallow waters.
Community leadership also called on state and the Federal government to intervene in the frequent unwarranted Trawlers attacks on the fishing folks.
They also claimed that the operators sporadically shoot fisher men/women at sight and drag along their fishing gears thereby disrupting the peaceful traditional occupation of the rural-coastal dwellers.
The leadership in a statement claimed loss of various types of fishing nets and hook lines both day and night leaving the people in abject poverty.
Recounting her ordeal, madam Romans Kumosuote who lost three boundless of various types of fishing nets to Trawlers -LA 601, said: “I need help to survive the hardship, am a widow, grandmother with several children”.
The statement equally accused the trawlers of shooting one Mr. Tata Gabriel at the head as he sustained wounds, while Mr. Godspower babudugu-47yrs escaped from the attack unhurt.
Elsewhere, in Okumbiribeleu, Mr. Oliver Ilegimokumo, and Mr. Tobin Korite in their separate lone-fishing expeditions, encountered the ugly situations said, the ravaging trawlers bullets hit them but unhurt; even as, the victims took the bullets found in the boats as evidence.
Other hazard the littoral indigents experience, include unknown gunmen, sea pirates attacks, boats mishaps, incessant spills of crude oil by petroleum exploring companies, bad weather which result to occasional lost of lives and property; thus making livelihoods unbearable.
The menaces, the community said, threateedn the survival of the people.
The community appealed to the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) to patrol the coastal area as to curb the activities of the foreign Trawlers as the coast is vulnerable for territorial invaders to Nigeria nation at the Atlantic Ocean.
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