Four men who were allegedly acting as agents or officials for the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Transportation were detained by youths in the Ibaka Mbo local government area for “illegally extorting” money from unwitting fishermen using fictitious names.
The suspects were detained last week and given to the Nigerian Navy, which had previously given them to the police in Enwang, Mbo LGA, for additional questioning.
In a statement released on Monday in Uyo, human rights attorney and attorney for the fishermen in Ibaka, Barrister Oluwajuwon Ogunbiyi, confirmed the arrest. He added that the suspects operate their nefarious business by posing as security personnel and using the name “Government of Akwa Ibom State (Marine Safety, Security, Revenue Surveillance and Enforcement on Water ways/Water Fronts)” to defraud the fishermen.
Ogunbiyi expressed displeasure that, rather than addressing the problem of insecurity in riverine areas, the state government was allegedly promoting lawlessness by using thugs to “illegally tax poor fishermen” in the state.
He lamented further that despite all entreaties to him, the state governor, Udom Emmanuel, had failed to tackle the growing insecurity in the riverine communities.
He said, “Four men who disguised themselves like security agents and claimed to be engaged by the Ministry of Transport of Akwa Ibom State were apprehended by youths of Ibaka community in Mbo L.G.A where they have been extorting fishermen in the area.
“The suspects were handed over by the youths to the Nigerian Navy who eventually handed them over to Nigeria Police at Enwang.
“The Government of Akwa Ibom State is encouraging the break down of law and order by employing touts, renegades, and unscrupulous elements in a bid to illegally tax poor fishermen who are currently battling with the terrors being unleashed on them everyday by sea pirates at the sea.
“The Governor has failed to address the issue of insecurity along Akwa Ibom waterways despite all entreaties to him. It is just as if the people have been left to bear the brunt of this malaise alone.”
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Akwa Ibom State command , Odiko Macdon, said he wa yet to be briefed on the development, adding however that he would make inquiry from Monday (today) on the matter.
He said, “We don’t have any such information at our disposal yet, but I will try and find out. I don’t want to respond to an issue that I don’t have information about.”
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