MILITIAMEN KILL 7 FISHERMEN
Uganda’s deputy police commander in the region Amos Muhindo who confirmed the report, said the gunmen opened fire on the fishermen as they went to retrieve the body of a colleague killed by the same group earlier last week.
“Seven Ugandan fishermen were shot dead by the Congolese militia on Saturday as they went into the water near Kaiso landing site (in Hoima district, Uganda) to search for the body of their colleague,” he said.
“One person survived and has been taken to Hoima hospital with gunshot wounds.”
He said the attack was reportedly carried out by five armed men in military uniform, adding that it was the third time in a week the alleged militia members crossed to the Ugandan side of the lake for illegal fishing and attacked locals.
Tensions have soared on the lakes straddling the Democratic Republic of Congo-Uganda border in recent months as Kampala has increasingly attempted to crack down on illegal fishing, spurred by dwindling fish resources.
Uganda has deployed the military onto the water and hundreds of Congolese fishermen have been arrested.
In July, the armed forces of Uganda and the DRC clashed on Lake Edward, leaving two Ugandan soldiers and three civilians dead.
Aside from illegal fishermen, armed groups which are rife in the conflict-torn eastern DRC also operate on the lake, robbing fishermen of their boats, engines and catch or seizing them and demanding ransoms.
More Stories
UNIVERSITY LECTURER BAGS LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR RAPE
An Ikeja Special Offences and Domestic Violence Court has sentenced Kolawole Muyiwa, a former part-time lecturer at Adeniran Ogunsanya College...
POLICEMEN REJECT N1m BRIBE, RESCUE CHILDREN FROM TRAFFICKERS IN IMO
The Police Command in Imo has arrested two suspected child traffickers and rescued two stolen children in separate operations. The...
CRIME: WOMAN ARRESTED OVER N523,600 ATM CARD FRAUD IN RIVERS
The Rivers State Police Command said its operatives have arrested a female suspect allegedly involved in an Automated Teller Machine...
COURT ORDERS CHIEF IMAM TO TAKE CHARGE OF RAMADAN LECTURE IN MOSQUE CRISIS CASE
A Federal High Court in Lagos, yesterday, ordered parties in the dispute over the yearly Ramadan Lecture of the Lagos...
KATSINA GOVT, NAPTIP RESCUE 13-YEAR-OLD GIRL FROM SUSPECTTED TRAFFICKER
The Katsina State Government, on Tuesday, received Rahama Sanusi, a 13-year-old girl rescued from a suspected human trafficker by the...
UPDATE: OGUN GOVT TO TOLL EPE-MODOLA-IJEBU-ODE HIGHWAY MARCH 24
The Ogun State Government says the commencement of tolling operations on the 14.7km Epe-Mojoda-Ijebu-Ode Expressway would commence on March 24....