WANTED Rivers warlord, Ateke Tom has reportedly foiled an attempt by some aggrieved militants to blow up another facility of the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), the EA oil field in Rivers State, three days after the Movement for Emancipation of the Niger-Delta, which had declared a cease fire from midnight Tuesday, attacked the company�s Bonga oil field in Bayelsa State.
It would have another major disaster to the economy of the country but Vanguard learnt that Ateke Tom was contacted by the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) to confront and stop the militants, which he did.
The militants who were reportedly armed with explosives and other dangerous weapons were on their way to attack the EA field when Ateke Tom ambushed them and told them to abandon the mission on orders from above.
National President of the IYC, Dr. Chris Ekiyor who confirmed that the IYC contacted Ateke Tom to stop the militants said the people initially claimed that they were members of the MEND, adding, �But when we contacted the MEND, they said that they had declared a temporary ceasefire.�
Investigations by the IYC revealed that they were youths of the region, who were aggrieved by the Federal Government recalcitrant attitude towards the development of the Niger-Delta.
He said that the IYC was not relenting in its efforts to ensure that there was a peaceful atmosphere in the region but called on the government to move in quick and start development of the area, as the people were angry, and criminals might take advantage of the situation to blow up oil installations in the name of Niger-Delta struggle.