Bayelsa State at the
weekend began the enforcement of its new strategy to end the menaces of
militancy, pipeline vandalism, pirate attacks, kidnapping and other criminal
activities along the waterways and creeks of the state.
Seriake The governor of
the state, Mr. Seriake Dickson, inaugurated a former militant leader, Mr.
Africanus Ukparasia, popularly known as ‘General’ Africa, as the Chairman of
the state Waterway Security Taskforce. At the inaugural ceremony which
reportedly took place at the Banquet Hall, Yenagoa, Dickson was said to have
mandated the taskforce to provide security agencies with required intelligence
to deal with criminals.
The ceremony which later moved to Africa’s home
attracted youths and leaders from different parts of the state including
the state Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Tiwe
Oruminighe and the state Secretary of the party, Mr. Marlin Daniel. In his
remarks, Africa assured the government of adequate security and intelligence
gathering along the waterways of the state. He said criminals would no longer
be allowed to take over the waterways to kill innocent people and subject
travellers and traders to untold hardship. He warned sea robbers and other
criminals operating in the state to leave the creeks or face tough times.
Speaking on the choice of Africa, Oruminighe hailed Dickson for the appointment
and said though the ex-militant leader is a member of APC, security is for
everybody. He said Dickson, though a member of the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP), recently visited President Muhammadu Buhari to seek ways of solving the
Niger Delta problem.
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