The Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr.
Seriake Dickson, has inaugurated a former militant leader, Mr. Africanus
Ukparasia, popularly known as General Africa, as the Chairman of the
state Waterway Security Taskforce.
The appointment of the ex-militant
leader is part of the government’s new strategies to end the cases of
militancy, pipeline vandalism, sea piracy, kidnappings and other
criminal activities along the waterways and creeks of the state.
At the inauguration, which took place at
the DSP Alamieyeseigha Banquet Hall, Yenagoa, Dickson mandated the task
force to provide security agencies with required intelligence to deal
with criminals.
Youths and leaders from different parts
of the state, including the state Chairman of the All Progressives
Congress, Chief Tiwe Oruminighe, and the APC Secretary, Mr. Marlin
Daniel, attended the inauguration.
Ukparasia assured the government of
adequate security and intelligence gathering along the waterways as part
of the measures to tackle criminalities in the state.
He vowed that criminals would no longer
be allowed to take over the waterways to kill innocent people and
subject travellers and traders to horrible experiences.
He warned pirates and other criminals operating in the state to leave the creeks or face tough times.
Ukparasia said the war against maritime
criminals would be won with effective collaboration between the task
force and the security operatives.
He also called on people in various
communities to report any criminal activity or suspicious characters in
their areas to the relevant security agencies.
According to him, as soon as the task
force begins full operation, its contacts will be unveiled to the public
for ease of communication.
The ex-militant leader assured the
Federal Government of his avowed determination to bring about peace and
stability in the Niger Delta region.
He, however, called on the Federal
Government to open up the region with roads and bridges to connect the
hinterlands to the cities to solve problems associated with
transportation.