Brass—So far a total of three fishermen have been confirmed dead with some others receiving treatment in various hospitals and some still missing in Brass Island, Bayelsa State, following an attack from unknown gunmen on Monday.
It was gathered that the victims who are said to be natives of the Ilaje ethnic stock from Ondo state residing in the island set out for fishing on the high sea.
Earlier on Tuesday, the spokesman of the Bayelsa State Police Command, SP Asinim Butswat, told our reporter that a yet-to-be-identified fisherman died when suspected pirates attacked the fisherfolk, carting away their engine boats.
“Some fishermen fishing at the high sea were attacked by sea pirates and they stole their engines, and in the process, one person was confirmed dead,” he said.
But from further investigations, two more persons have been confirmed dead, taking the number of casualties to three, with the attackers not so certain to be sea pirates but suspected unidentified gunmen.
Also, seven of the missing fishing boats have been recovered and deposited at the marine police station in Twon Brass but some of the fisherfolks are still missing and are yet to be found.
Nuru Oriade, one of the victims who survived the incident, said the attackers came in speed boats numbering about six.
In a video posted by one La Henree on Facebook, Nuru narrated that after shooting at them, they set ablaze some of the corpses with the boats while making away with the boat engines.
He said: “We were fishing, dropping our nets this morning when suddenly we saw about five to six-speed boats drew close to us and opened fire.
“They set ablaze some of the boats and took away the engines.
“They killed my brother who went along with me fishing this morning. I survived because I pretended to be dead.”
As of the time of filing this report, a sea search is still ongoing as some family members are yet to see their loved ones back who embarked on the fishing trip at the same time as the victims.
Meanwhile, the Ilaje community in Twon Brass has called on the government at all levels to take immediate action to get to the root of the attack and murder.
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Attacked on ilaje ethics fishermen at Brass is barbaric.I’m ilaje person ilaje people are law abide citizens who always pursuit fishing as their such of their livelihood in costal areas both in Nigeria and neighbouring country. Bayelsa States government must ensure those heartless sea pirate are broughto book and justice must serve.