The Kpokpoben Fishermen Association of Oyorokoto community in the Andoni Local Government Area has pleaded with the Rivers State Government to provide gun boots for the routine patrols aling the Andoni Waterways to check criminality in the area.
The appeal which is contained in a Save Our Soul letter to the Rivers State Governor copies which were signed by the Chairman Owiv Lawrence and Michael Ebirien Agama made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt said that the situation has become necessary in view of the rising tide of criminality in the area.
The Association lamented that within the last seven months, the community has not known peace following the spate of attacks on fishing boats.
“May we inform you that within the last seven months there has been armed robbery attacks for three consecutive times”.
According to the letter the first incident which occurred in April this year led to the carting away of items and cash worth millions of naira, the second and third which occurred in June and October respectively led to the drowning of children in the river while many were hospitalized.
“Sir, who knows how the fourth one will look like. We therefore solicite to your good office and all relevant agencies for possible assistance in the area of security by assigning some gun boats and security operatives topatrol along Oyorokoto and the entire Andoni waterways both day and nights”.
Signed by Owu O. Lawrence chairman and Hon. Michael G. Ebirien Agana it also urged for the provision of soft loans to victims of the robbery attacks.