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Hoima, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Six armed Congolese militiamen have robbed 15 boat engines on Lake Albert.
The attack happened at around 5am near Kaiso landing site in Mbegu parish, Kabaale sub-county, Hoima district.
Julius Hakiza, the Albertine Region Police Spokesperson says that the suspected Congolese militiamen that were dressed in DRC military uniform raided the lake and placed several fishermen at gunpoint, and ordered them to surrender the boats to them.
According to Hakiza, the gunmen also robbed two fishing boats, 10 sets of fishing nets and 10 mobile phones belonging to the fishermen.
Some of the affected fishermen are Robert Mujuni, Richard Okethwengu, Henry Lameck, Robert Ofoi, Shalom and Maureen all attached to Kaiso landing site.
According to Hakiza, security operatives in the Albertine region have already alerted their counterparts in the DRC adding that efforts to pursue the suspected attackers are underway.
Mujuni, one of the victims says that many fishermen have lost hope of recovering their robbed engines, fishing boats and fishing nets.
Richard Okethwengu, another victim says that they are overwhelmed by the continuous attacks by suspected Congolese militiamen. He adds that this is the third time his boat engines are being robbed.
Attacks by the suspected DRC militiamen on Ugandan fishermen have been rampant since 2018. In March 2021, suspected armed DRC militiamen raided the Lake Albert waters abducting 16 Ugandan fishermen.
The attack occurred near Kaiso landing site in Kabaale sub county. They also robbed four fishing boats, four-engine boats and several sets of fishing nets from the fishermen.
They were later released after each of them allegedly paid a ransom of 50 US Dollars.
On March 21, 2021, the suspected DRC militiamen again raided the lake robbing 19 boat engines.
In April 2020, two suspected Congolese militiamen were gunned down on Lake Albert in Hoima district in a fire exchange between the militia and the UPDF soldiers.
The two, later identified as Ozelle Opio, 25, and another only identified as Singa were part of the group that invaded the landing site near Kaiso in Buseruka sub-county where they put several Ugandan fishermen at gunpoint, ordering them to surrender their fishing gear including boats, fishing nets, engines and hooks.
But in the process, some Ugandan fishermen sneaked off and alerted the UPDF who rushed to their rescue.
The UPDF also recovered three AK-47 guns with 47 rounds of ammunition that the militiamen were using at the time they were rounded up.
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