Ex-militants in Akwa Ibom have urged Governor Umo Eno to set up a special security outfit to checkmate the activities of sea pirates in the waterways of the state.
Leader of the group, ‘General’ Nico Sintei, who made the call in Uyo at the weekend, expressed concerns over the incessant attacks on fishermen in the state.
Sintei said without the security outfit in place, sea pirates would continue to see Akwa Ibom as a safe haven for their nefarious operations.
He asked Governor Eno to emulate some state governors in the Southern region of the country including Delta and, Bayelsa who have been able to reduce the issue of sea piracy to the barest minimum after floating their own security outfit.
“The issue of frequent attack of Akwa Ibom fishermen on the high sea over the years has become so alarming these days. And the security challenge has seriously affected fishing business in the state.
” As we speak many fishermen no longer go fishing because whenever they go to the high sea to fish, the sea pirates will attack them, seize their outboard engines, and then asked to pay money before their Engines would be released to them.
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“Even, sometimes, after collecting the money they will still not release the outboard engines to the fishermen. They also kidnap fishermen for ransom. And those terrorising Akwa Ibom waterways come from Rivers, Bayelsa, and Delta.
“Before, the rate of sea piracy in those states was more alarming and worse than what we are experiencing in Akwa Ibom today. But what what government of Bayelsa and Delta states did was to float Security outfits combining security agents and people that understand their terrain.
“And they were able to reduce sea piracy to the barest minimum. That’s why, we the ex-agitators are calling on governor Umo Eno led admininistration to float similar security outfit to check activities of sea pirates who now see this State as a safe haven to operate, because it doesn’t have a security outfit”
Sintei also called on governments to look into the of non inclusion of the state and Cross River State from the Pipeline Surveillance contract, aimed at tackling Oil theft and pipeline vandalisation in oil producing States of the Niger Delta region.
“Akwa Ibom and Cross River States are the only two out of the Nine (9) Niger Delta oil States not included in the Surveillance contract. I don’t know why, so I am calling on both Akwa Ibom state and Federal governments to look into it. These states are part of oil producing States,” General Sintei appealed