[allAfrica.com] [celtel.com] Warlords At War The News (Lagos) NEWS July 19, 2004 Posted to the web July 13, 2004 By Okafor Ofiebor Port Harcourt Rival cult groups vow to spill blood in Rivers State. Before the real battle for supremacy, the two warlords started their war of words in local tabloids. Alhaji Mujahid Asari Dokubo, the radical President of Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) was the first to fire his salvo. He warned that the state would witness blood bath if the state government refused to disarm Mr. Tom, the leader of Icelander Cult group. He accused Tom of using intimidation to initiate Rivers youths and later arm them to terrorise people. He threatened to personally take on Tom. Asari warned then that with the way Rivers youths acquire arms and get involved in cult activities with Atake as the arrowhead, Rivers would be witnessing unnecessary blood letting. Atake, not known to talk much unless through surrogates, replied Asari that if he (Asari) wanted war he would get it, and if he wanted peace, so be it. The two leaders are fighting for supremacy and territorial control. Asari is Kalabari and hails from Buguma in Asari Toru Local Government of Rivers State. He abandoned his law studies at the University of Calabar due to his radical bent. Atake is from Okrika, in Okrika Local Government Council. Both were friends and were supporters of Governor Peter Odili during his re- electioneering campaign. Asari claimed that although he campaigned for Odili to be re-elected, that there was an unwritten agreement that President Olusegun Obasanjo would not get an Ijaw vote. According to him, Obasanjo had never shown that he loved the Ijaw or the Niger Delta. In an election which he claimed he monitored, Obasanjo's PDP did not win in the Niger Delta. Ironically, Rivers State recorded the highest votes cast for Obasanjo. This alarmed Asari who endorsed an advertorial on behalf of IYC, denouncing the victory allegedly declared for Obasanjo's PDP. The disclaimer embarrassed the Rivers State government. He was subsequently coerced to recant the press statement. But the stubborn Asari bluntly refused. Other members of IYC were allegedly sponsored to rebut the earlier statement made by IYC and endorsed by Asari. Asari and Atake Tom were both declared wanted by the Police for violent clashes in Okrika, Buguma and other areas. That has forced Asari to go underground while he still carries out what he called "Operation Isaac Boro," aimed at flushing out Atake Tom's cult members in all parts of the state. In many press statements credited to Asari in exile, he claimed that one of the costliest mistakes he ever made was to have associated with politicians. Since the two warlords engaged themselves in war of attrition, Rivers State has never known peace. Towns and cities have been under siege. In Port Harcourt and neighbouring towns, residents now move and live in fear of cultists who are usually armed with sophisticated rifles. Troubled by the outcry of the people, the Rivers State Government initiated an anti-cult bill, which was passed in a record time on Monday 14 June 2004. Governor Peter Odili quickly endorsed it the next day. The Law has now banned 103 known cult groups in Rivers State. It prescribed 10 years imprisonment for any person or persons found to be involved or sponsors any cult group in the state. It equally empowers the Vice-chancellors of any of the universities in the State to expel any student found to be a member of secret cults. Since the bill was passed and signed into law by Dr. Odili, there have been reactions from members of the Public. Dr. Eze Frank Eke, the royal father of Evo Kingdom, commended the courage of the State House of Assembly and the Governor for the anti-cult law, efforts at eradicating cultism and plans to rehabilitate repentant cultists in the State. Also the Chairman of Emohua Local Government, Mr. Emeka Woke, equally commended the state government on the anti-cult law. However, a critic like Chief Nnamdi Wokekoro was skeptical. H e asked to know those behind the sponsorship of the cult groups. "Who bought weapons for them? How many people in government today did not rely on the cult groups to ascend to power?" He asked even the law makers and those appointed by Dr. Odili into positions to purge themselves first before apportioning blames to others. Odili himself agreed during an interactive session with the press on 26 May 2004 that he had gotten security reports that some government officials sponsored the cult groups. He vowed that as the searchlight beams on members of his cabinet and government officials "anybody found to be a member or sponsor of any cult group will be dealt with." True. Faced with critisms that the members of Rivers State Executive Council and other political appointees sponsored, arm and participate in cult activities, Governor Odili has sacked his cabinet and political appointees. He has also directed the Rivers State Police Command, headed by the Sylvester Araba, Commissioner of Police, and other security agencies in the State to fish out all the wanted cultists or be ready for redeployment. Dr. Odili who sounded tough made these declarations on Wednesday 7 July 2004, while declaring open a three-day retreat for top functionaries of government. It was organized by Agency for Re-orientation, Integrity, Service and Ethics (ARISE) at the Hotel Presidential Port Harcourt. Odili directed members of his cabinet: "At the end of this retreat, every political appointee will do a handover note and hand over to us. An assessments will be made and by the end of one week, the verdict will be made public and those who had not done well will be asked to look for something else to do." He stated that in the past, people misconstrued government's patience for inability to act. He noted that Government's resolve to serve Rivers people cannot be compromised. Odili declared to the security agencies:"If the law enforcement agencies cannot do their work, we will call for their change and let new and neutral people come and do what security agencies are supposed to do in our state" Governor Odili vowed that for Government officials who are found to be encouraging cultism and acquisition of illegal arms, mere confession will not exonerate them. "Not only have you failed, but you have destroyed innocent lives and misled innocent young people", Odili lamented. He told security agencies that "all those who have been declared wanted remain wanted" adding that "enough is enough. How can rascality and gangterism become the way of life?" He said that as leaders, "we owe our people the moral duty to do what is right because we shall all account to God at the end of the day." The chairman of the ceremony, Justice Adolph Karibi-Whyte said that no bad tree brings forth good fruits, and that leaders of the society should re-examine themselves as everybody shares a blame for the upsurge of cultism. The chairman of ARIS) Prof. Godwin Tasie, organizers of the retreat said: "We are in this retreat to tell ourselves the home truth which we want to discuss, and if any such truth is bitter, so be it." The war for territorial control between Dokubo and Mr.Tom took a new dimension on Tuesday 22 June, with the report that Asari, backed by the Niger Delta People Volunteer Force, overran Bakana in Degema local government area which was under the vice grip of Ateke cult group. The radical Ijaw Youths Leader launched "Operation Isaac Boro", which he said was aimed at liberating all Ijaw land from Ateke's cultism. Dukubo Asari vowed that his ultimate aim was to capture Ateke dead or alive. Reports have it that making good his threat, the operation that "liberated" Bakana lasted for a few hours and was successfully concluded at about 9am. Ironically, men, women, boys and girls who were under the grip of Ateke's gang, showered praises on Asari's group, which they regard as their saviour. They claimed that Ateke has been initiating their boys and girls forcefully into cults and arming them to terrorize oil companies, legal and illegal oil bunkerers and extort money. To some Kalabaris, the home of Asari, their brave son did not liberate Bakana without leaving some unconfirmed number of persons dead. It is also the belief of some people from Bakana that although it was unfortunate that some people were killed in the liberation war, it was better than the "evil grip" of Ateke. The outgoing IYC President and Ateke are on the wanted list of the Rivers State Police command. Asari had vowed that the state would know no peace until the state government disarms and restrains Ateke and his cult members or he would chase out Ateke and his group from the Niger Delta. He promised to surrender himself to the police when his mission of killing Ateke or chasing him out of the Niger Delta is accomplished. Since the two Warlords started their war of attrition, various communities in Rivers State have been torn into crises leaving many people dead and properties worth millions of naira wasted. Meanwhile, the government has pledged to rehabilitate any cult member that renounces and hands over arms in his possession. Odili pledged to offer them money, ranging from N10,000 to N100,000 and jobs depending on the caliber of guns returned. The Rivers State government claims that many guns had been surrendered by cultists. While displaying the guns , Mr. Barry Mpigi, Commissioner for Youth Affairs, claimed that some repentant cults said sponsors were using them, and that they were tired of their involvement in cult activities. Mpigi explained that the fight against gangsterism in the state is recording great successes as more cultists are returning their arms. The arms displayed included: three automatic and one locally made pistols, four assault rifles, a pump action and many unexpended bullets. Also during the display, Mr. Magnus Abe, Commissioner for Information, stated that since the passage of the law, there had been positive responses. "But we are not yet satisfied with the response. But we will continue to fight those still indulging and perpetrating cultism in the state. Abe, however, commended those who surrendered their arms. He urged others to consider the consequences of remaining in an illegal organization. Asari reacted, however that, he was the target and accused the government of playing the ostrich. He alleged that after the law was promulgated, members of Elegemface, one of the outlawed cult groups, went to the motor spare parts markets at an area called Ikoku in Mile III, Port Harcourt, to extort N1,500 from each trader. And because Igbo traders questioned the legality of their demand, the cultists shot and killed one of them. "May be the law was made for Asari, IYC and Niger Delta People Volunteer Force whose only offence is standing on the side of truth and justice", Dokubo-Asari argued.He alleged that highly placed politicians in the state were sponsoring most of the cult groups. He specifically mentioned Mr. Austin Opara, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives as the man behind Elegemface. Opara however denied the allegations in a press briefing in Port Harcourt on Friday 2 July 2004. He said he had never been a cultist and never possessed gun and had never sponsored any cult group. He described the allegation as a blatant lies Odili himself has vowed that with the passage of the anti-cult law, government was ready to rehabilitate, give jobs and offer cash rewards to repentant cultists who hand over their weapons. The government would also pursue those who remain adamant to renounce their cult activities. TheNEWS findings show that attempts are being made in government circles to restore peace in troubled spots in the state. Such efforts have yielded result in the crisis-torn Buguma, the ancestral home of the Kalabari Kingdom. The Amanyomabo of Kalabari, His royal Majesty, King Professor Theophilus Princewill Amachree XI returned to his Kingdom. He fled to exile in Port Harcourt when crisis erupted in Buguma leading to the clash of Tom and Asari's rival cult groups. Amanyanabo has however washed his hands off the allegation by President Obasanjo that he was fuelling the crisis in Buguma. He denied arming militia cult groups to intimidate people of Kalabari or oil companies. TheNEWS learnt that attempts by the state government to reconcile Tom and Dokubo-Asari seem to have hit the rocks. Dokubo-Asari alleged that the government is not sincere about disarming armed cult groups in the State. He said that while Ateke and himself are declared wanted by the Police, Army, Navy and the Air Force, Ateke buried his late father at Okrika under heavy police protection. He justified the cause of his struggle: "We fight for good, not bad; we fight so that our people would live free of cults; so that our people can find their voices drowned by the forces of terror". He further said "we know our people are on our side and because they believe in what we are doing, we cannot be far away from the will of God Almighty". On his part, Dokubo-Asari's arch-enemy, Ateke has vowed that he would chase Asari everywhere until he catches up with him and kill him. He boasted that he had been keeping quiet because of the peace moves from government, but that seemed to have allowed Dokubo-Asari to boast and kill his people. Asari resolved to meet Dokubo-Asari "fire-for-fire". He warned that anybody in the company of Asari to attack him in Okrika should be prepared for death. He said that although his group may not have the kind of guns Dokubo-Asari has, his members would be ready to fight Dokubu-Asari with sticks and stones. Ateke Tom and Dokubo-Asari have appealed to government security forces to steer clear for both of them to slug it out. They argued that peace would reign after the war. Ateke Tom asked for 48 hours to give Dokubo-Asari a bloody nose. Dokubo-Asari replied that he is the spirit of good that is fighting evil, which Ateke Tom's group represents. Where and when the battlefield would be has kept everybody guessing, tensed and fearful. Mr. Chibuike Rotimi Ameachi, the speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly has been reported in the local press as haven bought a N50 million bulletproof car. The deputy, speaker, Mr. Tonye Harry denied the report on behalf of Mr. Ameachi, but confirmed that he and some members had an agreement with Magnum Bank to enable interested members to buy vehicles which they had reinforced into bullet proof. He confirmed that he is changing his own car to bulletproof. That it not out of fear or panic but because the arrangement with the bank had relieved the members of the huge financial burden for such project. The members of the Rivers State House of Assembly and top government officials may have privileges of acquiring safety measurers for themselves, but critics said the common people in Rivers, especially innocent women, men and youths, desire nothing more than uninterrupted peace and safety of their lives.   =============================================================================   Copyright © 2004 The News. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). =============================================================================