Posted by The Port Harcourt Telegraph on
Ateke Tom, leader of the Vigilante has accused some government officials at large of being part of a plot to set him up.
Ateke Tom, leader of the Vigilante has accused some government officials at large of being part of a plot to set him up.
Ateke who spoke to the Telegraph and the Associated Press at his Okochiri residence in Okrika alleged that he provided appropriate information about Soboma's plan to break out of prison, but it appears nobody took him seriously.
The Vigilante leader revealed that rather than follow up the tip that he gave to government officials, the police chose to search his house.
But how did he come to the conclusion Soboma organized the jailbreak?
The whole thing looks like a set up
Question: Do you think things are bad at the moment, or do you think that things are getting better?
Ateke Tom: Things are very bad. Things are going wrong.
Question: Why? What is really wrong at the moment?
Ateke Tom: They said we should make peace. All of us agreed to the peace. But, when the peace process is on, some people are still carrying guns killing people. And I believe that the government is not doing anything. They are just looking at us. Small boys are trying to insult us, I and Asari because of the peace. Everybody is just relaxed like that. This is why I say it is a set up.
I don't understand what is going on. You see what is going on can provoke us. You can ask yourself, "why should small boys like this be insulting me?" And decide, "okay, let me do this". Then, I know that time the government will come after us. That is why I say everything is beginning to look like a set up.
Question: Are you friendly with Dokubo Asari?
Ateke Tom: We don't have problems.
Question: What made you and Dokubo Asari to become friends again?
Ateke Tom: Because of the peace we are making, they brought both of us together.
Question: A lot of people are suggesting you are friendly with government. Is that true?
Ateke Tom: I'm friendly with everybody, not only government, but with everybody. I don't have problem with anybody.
Question: But you did have problems with Asari in the past?
Ateke Tom: That was settled.
Question: Was it exactly a bloody war?
Ateke Tom: Yes, it was bloddy.
Question: When you talk about small boys insulting you, who are you referring to?
Ateke Tom: Like Soboma.
Question: Soboma?
Ateke Tom: Everybody knows Soboma as my boy. But he fucked up when we were making peace. He went and killed somebody. Then, I asked why. From there, he broke out and went and formed Outlaws and started insulting me. Everybody is aware. That boy, he is nothing to me. I can handle him myself. It is because of the government. I'm just looking at the government and they are not doing anything.
Question: Do you think that the government is in alliance with Soboma?
Ateke Tom: I don't know. There are some people in the government that are doing this with Soboma.
Question: Like who?
Ateke Tom: I can't mention names now.
Question: What level are they?
Ateke: ...the level?
Question: Are they at a high level in government?
Ateke Tom: Yes, they are high. They are high!
Question: You are talking about the state government here?
Ateke Tom: State government.
Question: And what do you think of the break out from the Port Harcourt Prisons? What caused that?
Ateke Tom: It was Soboma that broke the Port Harcourt Prison with hsi boys, the Outlaws. They broke out of prison and w e are evn suspecting some of the government officials, we are suspecting them...
Question: ...of organizing this? You are suspecting them of what?
Ateke Tom: That their hand is in that operation-about breaking out of prison.
Question: Has Soboma been in touch with you since he broke out?
Ateke Tom: No, no, no, no...
Question: And why do you think this is organized by Soboma - the break out?
Ateke Tom: Pardon?
Question: Why do you think that Soboma organized this? What is the information which makes you think that it was Soboma who organized the jailbreak?
Ateke Tom: We know very well. Before now, I told you he is my former boy. Because I made peace, he broke out from me. So, anything that he would do, I will get the information. And before they broke prison, I got the information, and I told government this is what is about to happen.
Question: And what did the government do?
Ateke Tom: They did not do anything, and they didn't trust me. This is why I say may be their hand is inside.
Question: Is this incident harming your relationship with government, with Governor Odili?
Ateke Tom: I don't think so. Governor is also aware that I don't have anything with Soboma again. So, anything that boy does, does not concern me.
Question: So, you see this as something that high government officials are involved in, not Odili?
Ateke Tom: Not Odili. It does not concern him Odili at all. He doesn't know anything because at times we get information where Soboma is staying. By the time we pass the message to government, they will tell him to move away from that place.
Question: What is Soboma doing?
Ateke Tom: He is a robber. Everybody knows him as an armed robber. He is robbing.
Question: Is there any relationship between Soboma and the bank robberies that are taking place?
Ateke Tom: When some of his boys were going to rob banks, we told them, and I told government that Soboma is holding about nine riffles.
I said they should assist me so we can take the guns away from Soboma. Or, if they would not, let them allow me go and collect them. They said no they would not allow me go. They said I should join them. Any time we go, nothing. The day I planned with them to go and collect these things, they set me up. Rather, what they did was to come and search my house and to embarrass me.
Question: When did they search your house?
Ateke Tom: I have forgotten the date
Question: Was it recently?
Ateke Tom: Yes, it was like two months ago.
Question: Was this before the jailbreak?
Ateke Tom: Yes, before the jailbreak.
Question: So what is the aim of your organization? Why was it set up?
Ateke Tom: We are Niger Delta vigilantee. Our aim is to help government as Vigilante men to arrest criminals.
Question: have you been successful in doing that?
Ateke Tom: Yes, we have been successful. Question: So what have you achieved?
Ateke: Nothing.
Question: Nothing.
Ateke: Government has not given me anything.
Question: There are people that you have arrested and handed over to the government?
Ateke Tom: I used to that. Recently, I arrested some armed robbers from these communities, but they were released. They took money from them and released them. They were about four of them.
Question: the police released them?
Ateke: Yes, they released them.