Following reports of clashes between Akassa youths and fishermen in Brass territorial waterways, the Caretaker Chairman Brass Local Government Area, Hon Victor Isaiah has called on traditional rulers and community heads to prevail on their subjects and wards on the need to pursue peace and be considerate in the shared livelihood of other fishermen.
The chairman made the call when a delegation of aggrieved fishermen led by one Mr Rotimi Atimisei paid him a courtesy visit in his office over the incessant attacks and intimidation on fishermen.
Narrating their ordeal, Mr Atimisei alleged that they had suffered great losses amounting to millions of naira due to the continuous attacks.
According to Mr Atimisei, youths from Akassa kingdom over the years have developed the habit of attacking fishermen that are not indigenes of Brass and have continued to attempt to chase them away whenever they drift into Akassa waters.
“We set off for fishing every day in fear and in anticipation of another assault by Akassa youths who don’t want us to fish in their territory. And whenever they storm at us, they cart away our outboard engines, fuel and even big catches” he asserted.
Mr Rotimi said, “so far a total of 93 outboard engines of various sizes and an unquantifiable amount of fuel has been reported to have been seized by the Akassa boys. We don’t only fear sea pirates but also the rampaging Akassa youths who don’t want us in their waters. We are not aware of a law that restricts us from fishing there, hence we call on you to use your good office as council chairman to prevail on the youths of Akassa to stop the attacks and return all our seized engines.