Police rescue 28 fishermen abducted by pirates in Akwa Ibom

The Akwa Ibom State Police Command says it has rescued 28 fishermen kidnapped by a five-man gang in Akwakpa, in Uruan Local Government Area of the state.

Speaking during a press conference in Uyo on Friday, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Olatoye Durosinmi, said the fishermen were rescued from the creeks, where they were held hostage for over eight hours.

Durosinmi said immediately the command received an intelligence report on the incident, it drafted marine officers who were able to rescue the hostages. 

He revealed that the pirates normally posed as fishermen to attack unsuspecting victims and seize their boats.

Narrating their ordeal, one of the victims, Iboro Asuquo, said, “The thieves collected everything from us; they collected millions of naira from different people.”

Another victim, Victoria Pius, said, “I go there to buy fish. They collected about N1million from me, which was part of a loan I collected and money others gave me to buy things for them. I just repaid N100,000 out of the loan.”