Mr. Tom Ateke, leader of a foremost militant group in the Niger Delta region, the Niger Delta Volunteer Force (NDVF), has given the Federal Government a seven-day ultimatum, effective from December 21, 2007, to replace his properties, which he claimed were allegedly destroyed by soldiers when they stormed his hideouts in Okochiri, Rivers State a few days ago.
Ateke, who has so far defied several attempts by security agencies, including the military Joint Task Force (JTF) to arrest him, handed down the ultimatum in a telephone chat on Friday, saying that if the Federal Government, under whose command the JTF invaded his stronghold, failed to heed his call, he would not hesitate to cause another round of mayhem in the state.
�I am giving them one week ultimatum to talk something about this matter. If not, more problems will happen and then, they should withdraw soldiers from Okrika because there is peace now in the area,� he said.
The militant leader added that although he was declared wanted about two years ago by security operatives in the state, since he had long embraced peace, he could not understand why the JTF would still be after his life.
JTF commander, Brigadier-General Sakin Bello, on Wednesday vowed to capture Ateke alive for him to face prosecution for allegedly carrying out several onslaught on society that had caused serious discomfort and even fatality for some families in the Niger Delta region.
But, defending himself, Ateke maintained that he has, on his own, reconciled all warring groups in his Okrika home town of Rivers State and instead of government to encourage this peace move, Ateke lamented that they (security agencies) were out to trigger another round of crisis in the state.
Ateke denied accusations leveled against his group by the JTF that his members were responsible for the attack on the NNPC Jetty at Okrika on Wednesday, an action that resulted in the burning of some facilities there and the death of an undisclosed number of persons, including a naval officer yet to be found dead or alive.
On the items purportedly destroyed by security forces the NDVF boss listed his building as well as some other property and a sum of N5.2m taken away.
Two phone calls made by the Saturday Tribune on Friday to the JTF spokesman, Lt. Col Sagir Musa, at 6.06pm, to react to the allegations and ultimatum issued by Ateke to the Federal Government were unanswered.
Dec222007