Worried by heightened state of terror prevalent in the country going into the crucial election year, a socio-cultural Organisation, Oro Union (OU), has raised the alarm over the influx of foreigners disguised as economic migrants from the neighbouring Cameroun Republic and other countries within the Gulf of Guinea region.
The President-General of the group, Bishop Etim Ante, speaking in an interview at the weekend, expressed fears that large scale migration of aliens into the country through the waterways of Akwa Ibom, “poses a big threat to humanity and the corporate existence of the country”.
Besides, Ulap Ante, lamented that the porous nature of the waterways has led to freequent infiltration by sea pirates, “who freequently attack, kidnap and kill our fishermen and other maritime workers”.
No fewer than 28 fishermen were rescued by the marine police operatives at weekend in the coastal communties of Uruan LGA. The Commissioner of Police (CP), Olatoye Durosinmi, said intelligence and well equipped operatives were needed for the task of keeping the waterways save
And Bishop Ante, urged the Federal Government (FG) to deploy gunboats and adequately equip the Nigerian Navy’s Forward Operation Base (FOB) for effective surveillance of Ibaka water fronts in Mbo Local Government Area and other riverside communities.
“The Federal Government should deploy gunboats to the major waterfronts and raise the morale of the Navy and marine Police in order to safeguard the waterways from aliens and incessant attacks by seapirates”, he stressed.
