Gunmen abduct 16 fishermen with their engine boats

Some yet -to -be identified gunmen have kidnapped 16 Ugandan fishermen on Lake Albert shared with the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Police said on Tuesday.

Julius Hakiza, the Albertine Region Police spokesman, told Xinhua by telephone that the fishermen were abducted together with their motorised engine boats and taken to DRC on Sunday.

Hakiza said the abductors were asking for ransom before they release the captives.

“This is not the first time the Congolese are abducting Ugandans.

“What normally happens is that they have their go-between negotiators who pick a ransom of between $500 and $1,000 before the victims are released,’’ the police spokesperson said.

“We do not know exactly where they were taken because there are many landing sites on the Congolese side.

“What we are sure of is that they were taken to Congo.’’

He said the Marine Police have since intensified patrols on the lake.

In October last year, suspected Congolese militiamen also abducted 16 Ugandan fishermen from the same lake. (Xinhua/NAN)