Hippopotamus Threatens Fishing Community In Gombe

Fishermen in Malleri community in Kwami Local Government area of Gombe State on Tuesday appealed to the state government to save them from attacks from hippopotamus.

Mallam Abdullahi Bako, a fisherman in the community, told the newsmen in Malleri that hippopotamus, in large numbers, had invaded the river in which they fished.

According to Bako, the hippopotamus are now threatening their lives as well as destroying their fishing tools.

He said that he had been fishing in the river in the last 27 years, adding that the fishermen used the local fishing equipment that were easy for hippopotamus to destroy.

“We are appealing to the government to come to our aid and give us soft loans to enable us buy modern fishing equipment which will be difficult for the hippopotamus to destroy,” he said.

He said that he was making daily catch of eight to 10 basins, with each basin selling between N4,000 and N15, 0000, depending on the size.

“With the problem of hippopotamus destroying our equipment, we hardly get three basins daily, which is a setback to our business,” he said.

Mallam Ahmadu Abdullahi, a 13-year-old, told newsmen that he started fishing when he was seven years old.

Abdullahi also appealed to the government to give them soft loans to purchase modern fishing equipment as he was using the proceeds to pay his school fees and solve other problems.

Malam Adamu Aliyu, another fisherman, said they paid revenue to the Upper Benue River Development Authority every year and urged the authority to assistant them.

“We were made to understand that Gombe State Government, in collaboration with Bank of Industry, was disbursing loan to associations and groups.

“Nobody remembered us and from all indications, the loan was not meant for rural dwellers,” he said.