There was tension in Ughelli, Delta State on Sunday as ex-militants under the Federal Government’s amnesty phase two programme demanded the disbandment of Ogor-Bakassi, a vigilance group in the town. The ex-militants under the leadership of ‘General’ Israel Akpodoro, who is the national vice chairman of the Federal Government’s amnesty phase two programme, accused the security group which was set up by three traditional rulers in the area of killing his ‘boy’, Ovie Omote.

Omote was allegedly killed last Thursday by members of the Bakassi group for being in possession of firearms and being suspected to have been involved in various abductions in the Ughelli axis.

The incident also led to the destruction of a van belonging to the vigilance group, a development, which had created serious tension in the area, as residents were apprehensive that security in the place would soon break down.
But, Akpodoro, who spoke with a group of journalists in Warri, said in a bid to eliminate his group, the leadership of Bakassi group had devised a means of ‘hanging’ accusations of kidnapping on his boys.

“My boy was coming on a bike from Ewu; they pulled him down and started shooting at him before he started to run. They ran after him and continued spraying him with bullets until he died. Two women and a boy were also wounded in the process.
“He was not a kidnapper. We are already big boys; what are we going to do with kidnapping money. I don’t take nonsense from anybody and I had never supported any illegality after we submitted arms to the Federal Government,” said the group leader.
Akpodoro said he had already reported the renewed threat on his members to the Presidency, Inspector General of Police, Mr. Hafiz Ringim, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mamman Tsafe, Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan and the Joint Military Taskforc (JTF) in the region.

He said: “Before the killing, the traditional rulers had a meeting with the security agencies and they resolved that all ex-militants in the area should be gunned down because they suspected our members were involved in kidnapping.”
He noted that having exhausted all existing avenues to resolve the various threats to himself and his group, the ex-militants would have no other option but to unleash violence on the members of the vigilance group in seven days if the Federal Government did not intervene.
Akpodoro, who was surrounded by his lieutenants, maintained that his boys were no longer carrying arms, adding that the group had resolved to maintain the peace after laying down their arms during the amnesty programme.

On the next line of action if his demands were not met, the ex-militants’ leader who flaunted a letter he had written to the police for their protection, said: “We will declare war against the Bakassi group and crush them.
“By the time this happens, there will be war in this place. Those who killed O

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqcizZebcaU[/flash]

Why is the government not arresting this guy?