Metro
BAYELSA: Pirates shoot fisherman in the head over fish catch
A 30-year-old fisherman identified as Ayebaeifin Gabriel was shot in the head by men suspected to be pirates in the Akassa community of Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
Reports say the victim fell into a coma after being shot and was immediately rushed to the emergency unit of the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, the state capital.
It was however not ascertained as at the time of filing in this report, if the victim died of the gunshot wound he sustained during the incident.
Reports say the incident ignited tempers among residents of the community and other fishing towns.
The incident, according to Ayibatonye Christopher, the Chairman, Community Development Committee opened old wounds among fishermen in and around the community who had in the past suffered attacks by marauding pirates.
Christopher said; “The fisherman was shot by some unidentified men on a vessel identified simply as ‘IMO.’ The fishermen on Thursday night had set their nets. But when they got to the place on Friday morning, they saw the fishing trawler dragging their nets away.
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Continuing, he added that; “They went after the fishing trawler, waving at it to drop the nets with huge catches, but the occupants of the fishing trawler opened fire on them. The victim was shot in the head.”
Mr. Alagoa Morris, the state Coordinator of the Environmental Right Action and Friends of the Earth, described the incident as inhuman.
Morris said; “The shooting is not different from the reasons the ERA has already put in public space.
“The fishing gears of the fishermen were damaged by the trawler and when the victim tried to approach the trawler to lay a complaint, they opened fire sending bullets to kill.
“When will the authorities in Bayelsa State and the Federal Government act on this? Or, are they saying they haven’t heard of this disturbing issue since?” he asked.
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