Suspected Boko Haram terrorists on Saturday stole eight (8) fishing boats from fishermen at Kaimo Village, a community about four kilometers from Doron Baga town, Kukawa local government area of Borno State.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a local source said the terrorists who were armed with sophisticated weapons and traveling in an undisclosed number of boats, including fighting canoes, stormed the village and assembled the fishermen.
“They arrived with weapons, threatening to cause a disturbance if we didn’t give up our boats,” the source said.
He added that the terrorists then seized the eight boats and escaped through the river.
The source expressed the desperate need for government assistance, stating, “We need the government to come to our aid because the only businesses we have currently are fishing and farming, but now, we are in a panic as the bush is not safe.”
LEADERSHIP reports that prior to the Boko Haram insurgency, Doron Baga in in the northern part of the State used to be a major hub for various smoked fish dealers from across the country.
However, with the emergence of the terrorism and the subsequent invasion of the fishing areas in Baga, majority of the fishermen flew the area, while those who later returned and continued the business were periodically attacked by the terrorists.
The fishermen are sometimes killed or abducted, in addition to imposition of levies by the terrorists.
