Ateke Tom Warns ''Count Rivers Out Of Biafra..''

ATEKE Tom, is an ex-militant leader of the defunct Niger Delta Vigilante (NDV) known for waging incessant battle along Asari Dokubo’s Niger Delta People Volunteer Force (NDPVF) against national interests before late President Umaru Yaradua granted presidential amnesty to the militants.

Over the years, Ateke Tom seems to have transformed from an agitator to a crime fighter and a crusader of anti-vices campaign. Ateke and his men would go all out to foil armed robbery and kidnapping operations, arrest the cuprits and hand them over to the police. He has also been sponsoring many radio jingles encouraging youths of Rivers state to denounce kidnapping, cultism and shun all forms of violence.

At this time when violence and insecurity have become the order of the day in the state and other parts of the country, Ateke Tom is strongly advocating a vibrant community policing with more active participa­tion of the local communities through a more organised and formidable vigilante. According to him, men of the underworld no matter how hardened has no invisibility before a formidable vigilante. Ateke is of the opinion that government will take some financial responsibilities so the vigilante will be more committed. 

He believes that this method can make the security agencies more proactive in operations.

He also spoke about his role in the multi-billion naira pipeline surveillance contract said to have been awarded to ADEF Energy Resources involving Tompolo, Asari Dokubo and Fara Dagogo under the Goodluck Jonathan administration. He also has strong words for Biafra agitators with a warning that they should steer clear of Rivers State. 

extracted interview

What’s your view about ongoing Biafra agitation?

In Nigeria, we have been hearing different stories but we are one Nigeria. Everybody should keep Nigeria calm. We don’t want problem, especially in Rivers State. We don’t want problem here.

What kind of different stories are you talking about, are you talking about Biafra ?

In Rivers State, we are all Nigerians here. They are disturbing the state, breaking cars, destroying things, killing people, looting properties, we don’t want that. They should leave Rivers State to remain calm.The federal government should look into the cause of such things so that there will be peace.

Still on insecurity, the government on the other hand should also create jobs for the youths because an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. So, government should do everything and create jobs for the youths.

I know that not everyone can get a job. But let them try and create some jobs; sometime, hunger could lead somebody to some of these bad things. Although a bad boy is a bad boy even if you give work to him, he can still do these things because such bad boys want quick money and they want it free.

The Ex-militants trained by the amnesty programme are not working but a new government has just started so we are waiting for them. Let us join the new government to help our country. The things people are doing will not help us. Everybody should join the new government and help to make our country stable. We should be patient with the new government.

culled from dailysun