Former militants and freedom fighters from the Niger Delta have continued to sound warnings against attacks on the President and the possible violence as threatened by certain groups and people as a result of the forthcoming polls.The latest of the threats was contained in a statement by General John Bosco Caterpillar, convener of the ex-Niger Delta Militants Revolutionary Front. According to him the former militants have resolved to speak up in defense of their son, whom they see to be intimidated around and terrorised on the basis of his heritage.The ex-militants who spoke yesterday in a media session organised to condemn the spate of bombings trailing the president’s campaign including yesterday’s Gombe bomb attack, also condemned the recent “wave of attacks on well-meaning Niger Delta sons like Boyloaf, Tompolo and Asari who had in a recent meeting expressed their disdain for the treatment meted to the president”. It also wondered why, after several attacks on the president’s convoy in the north, nobody has been arrested as a deterrent and as a prove that the law is no respecter of persons.
According to him, the recent speedy invitation of former Niger Delta militants to Abuja to answer questions on comments credited to them against violence threats by northern leader has clearly shown that our democracy permits different laws for different groups based on their birth place.
The statement which further acknowledged that the security agencies have the right to apprehend all trouble makers without minding the social status of such individuals, called on the security outfits to beam their searchlight on the leadership of the north and those who have been inciting violence in the nation including the Rivers state governor, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, who they have accused of sponsoring violence even in the Niger-Delta with government resources.
“It is popular responsibility of the state agents of the law to apprehend and prosecute all enemies of the state and especially sponsors of violence. It is this responsibility that we today sue that it be properly carried out without recourse to tribe, region or status. We also hereby call on the security agencies to beam their searchlight towards the leadership of the north and enemies of the Niger Delta from its bellies who have been sponsoring violence and inciting the people with state funds like Rotimi Amaechi,” it said.
Caterpillar frowned that the present ploy by high ranking opposition leaders to intimidate Mr. President’s supporters across the north with threats of violent attacks to scare people away is anti-democratic and cannot promote a free, fair and credible elections that the world is expecting of us in 2015.
They have also threatened that they will not stand and watch the nation held to ransom by a certain cabal who feel power is destined to them as their sole reserve while every other person stays in the sidelines of authority.
Meanwhile, the former militant leader has called on all Niger Deltans to remain law abiding and support their son to victory, even as he further called on the region to feign all intimidation and concentrate on making sure the region retains the presidency to continue its service to the nation.