Ateke Tom-led Niger Delta Vigilante and Niger Delta Patriotic Force, have given the kidnappers of Reverend Father Pius Kii to return him within 48 hours or face dire consequence.
The ultimatum was contained a in statement signed by spokesman for the groups, Mr. Tamunokuro Ebitari and e-mailed to our correspondent.
“We are appealing to the abductors of the Reverend Faith to take him back to his family in their own interest within 48-hours or else, we will not hesitate going after them and their parents,” the groups threatened.
The groups declared: “We are by this means warning those using our names and that of our leader to perpetuate these crimes, to desist from it because we will come after you and your families.”
Ebitari said, “we are dissociating ourselves from the kidnapping of one Reverend Father Kii. We have never supported the kidnapping of blacks and children, neither have we been involved in any of such abominable acts.
“The incessant kidnapping of blacks and children in Rivers state and other parts of the country, is caused by some in-house collaborators, neighbours and political foes who hire the services of small gunmen, times to extract money from their victims. However, the prevalence of these acts in Rivers state, is a clear revelation of the failure of Amaechi’s heavily sponsored JTF in Rivers State.
“We want the federal government to know that the security services in Rivers State are now involved in a lucrative business by availing themselves as repressive tools in the hands of Amaechi to intimidate innocent people and pursue his objectives of ethnic politics to kill our leader, Ateke Tom. As patriotic Niger Deltans, we have always fought crime and illegality through our vigilante outfit,” he said.