Posted by From FEMI FOLARANMI, Yenagoa on
Tension is building up in the creeks of the Niger Delta over the arrest of a leading militant, Sobomabo Jackrich, a.k.a Ebiere Papa. Sobomabo was arrested by the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) at the palace of the Amanayanbo of Buguma while attending a peace parley.
Tension is building up in the creeks of the Niger Delta over the arrest of a leading militant, Sobomabo Jackrich, a.k.a Ebiere Papa. Sobomabo was arrested by the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) at the palace of the Amanayanbo of Buguma while attending a peace parley.
Military sources said the arrest of the militant leader would be used by the security outfit to send a signal that it would no longer condone the activities of militants in the region.
The sources said as soon as investigations is completed he would be charged to court to face the law for all his past activities.
Jackrich's arrest is, however, generating tension as the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) is meeting to deliberate on the next line of action.
He has been instrumental to many successful activities of MEND in Port Harcourt and his arrest is not being treated lightly.
MEND had already issued a statement condemning his arrest in the palace of a prominent traditional ruler in the region.
They had lamented that JTF was executing an ethnic agenda as it could not do what it did in the palace of the Amanayanbo of Buguma in the palace of the Sultan of Sokoto and Emir of Kano.
MEND had threatened that this insult shown to a first class traditional ruler in the region coupled with the insincerity in the handling of Henry Okah's case brings 'us closer to an all out oil war.'
Sources close to the militant organization disclosed that since the news of the arrest of Jackrich has been confirmed, it has contacted all its commanders and they are meeting before the New Year to decide on the next line of action.
But sources also close to the JTF have assured that there is no cause for alarm as the security outfit is ready to deal with any action.
The source drew attention to the recent death of three militants and arrest of four during an attack on Teibedaba flow station in Bayelsa State as a demonstration of JTF capability to curb excesses of militants in the region.