As there appears to be no seriousness in the submission of weapons by militants in the amnesty programme offered by President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, leader of the Niger Delta Vigilante Movement, Mr. Ateke Tom , and the Joint Task Force(JTF) in the region are trading accusations over alleged attack at the weekend.
While the leader of the Niger Delta Vigilante Movement, Tom , alleged that his compatriot at arms, Soboma George, visited and was attacked by JTF on his way back , spokesman of the JTF in the region, Lt. Colonel Rabe Abubakar, denied the accusation as “lies laced with ulterior motives.”
Ateke, who was said to be in a marathon meeting yesterday when THISDAY called, had called for the removal of JTF from the creeks to enable their boys come out to surrender.
However, we learnt that Tom had been holding talks with some officials to determine how best to handle the payment for his arms which he vowed not to submit unless he was paid, quipping, “Why dem no go pay me, I pick am for road?.”
He called on President Yar’Adua to remove the JTF from the creeks, saying that though no life was lost in the attack on George, such clash could have telling effects on the peace process.
However, Abubakar denied the alleged attack, saying the call for the withdrawal of JTF troops from the creeks was not a new scheme and was meant to allow them free access to carry out their nefarious activities.
Ateke had claimed that the attack was around Dutch Island and warned against such provocations.
However, the six repentant militants who submitted their weapons at the Kaa center in Ogoniland reported again to THISDAY that their parents were being harassed by those who were yet to submit their ammunition, adding that some big names in the militancy industry were still working with those yet to submit their arms.
Aug112009