Niger Delta militants armed to the teeth have taken control of two local government areas in Cross River State and displaced virtually every civil authority in the area.
According to ThisDay, the group alleged to be members of Bakassi Strike Force, had been operating in the area for some time. But they recently seized control of Bakassi and Akpabuyo local government areas, displacing both civil and traditional authorities in the councils.
This has forced the elected chairmen of the two local governments to flee for their lives as many others in the community had since fled for many months now while the councillors hold their legislative sittings in Calabar. The secretariats of both local councils have also been deserted by civil servants for fear of being kidnapped or attacked by the militants.
As a result, the state governor, Professor Ben Ayade, has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to extend the activities of “Operation Delta Safe”, a security taskforce protecting oil installations in the Niger Delta, to Cross River State. Ayade said his state should not to be isolated in the battle to keep the Niger Delta safe. He also promised to increase the firepower of the state’s security taskforce, “Operation Skolombo.”
Militancy has gripped Cross River State for the past few months. And militants are being blamed for an increasing wave of kidnapping, armed robbery, and other criminal activities, especially, in Calabar, the state capital.
But Bakassi and Akpabuyo local government areas, which share maritime boundary with Cameroon, recently became a lawless, anarchic zone in which militants rule. It was discovered that the militants collected rents and levies from people doing business in the council areas, which they termed “protection money”, a situation that has made many people to flee.
The militants are said to have also rendered the state judicial organs and the traditional institutions in Akpabuyo and Bakassi local governments impotent, as the militias now handle matters that should otherwise be handled by the conventional courts, village heads, clan chiefs, and paramount rulers.
Speaking on the matter, Chairman of Bakassi Local Government Area, Mrs. Edisua Usang Iso, admitted that militants were operating in her council area. She, however, denied that the activities of the militants were affecting the administration of the council. Iso said, though, the council had lost substantial revenue to their activities, the federal government should grant amnesty to them and incorporate them into the federal government’s amnesty programme for Niger Delta militants.
However, Governor Ayade confirmed that the militants have taken full occupation of some of the local governments and vowed that the militants will be dislodged from the area.
The governor said, “The three kingpins, we have identified their homes, we have the coordinates of their armoury, we have a clear picture of their modus operandi and we are working on a massive attack. I speak as the United States would do. They let you know that they are coming for you and they will come after you.
“We are coming after them. We know all the militants who are now parading and taking full occupation of Bakassi. We would free the people of Bakassi. The people of Bakassi have seen enough pain. Lands taken, oil wells taken, reduced to want in spirit, body and economy, we cannot afford also to create a perilous nightmare for the same people.”
No comments:
Post a Comment