9th March, 2011
Forty-eight ex-militants undergoing rehabilitation at Aluu near Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital were today arrested by the Rivers State Police command in Port Harcourt for alleged involvement in violent street protest and armed robbery in the state capital.
On Monday at about 10 am, the branch manager of the bank had alerted the police that the former militants had threatened to lay siege at the Rumuola branch of Oceanic Bank, Port Harcourt, and set it ablaze if their allowances were not paid.
The arrival of policemen paid off as they were cordoned off until the amnesty officials arrived and persuaded them to be patient. They were escorted to their rehabilitation camp, Aluu.
As if making good their threat, the ex-fighters returned on Tuesday at about 8.30 am and met a huge police presence.
They moved to another point along Rumuola Road, unleashing mayhem as they moved and ended up snatching a laptop, a cell phone and vandalised vehicles said to belong to an emissary from an ex-militant leader, Tom Ateke who had come to help pacify them.
Confirming the incident, Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Dr Rita Inoma-Abbey said forty-eight of those suspected to have been involved in the acts have been arrested.
According to Inoma-Abbey, a Superintendent of Police (SP), “On Monday 7.3.11 at about 1005hrs, the Branch Manager of Oceanic Bank Rumuola Road, Rumuokuta, reported that repentant militants, expecting their monthly allowances were threatening to torch the bank if they were not paid.
“Adequate police teams were mobilised to the scene where about 50 repentant militants were cordoned off until their Amnesty officials came, convinced and took them away to their Aluu Centre. However, the repentant militants returned to Oceanic Bank, Rumuokuta for the yet-to-be-paid allowance at about 0830hrs today where they met heavy police presence.
“As a result, they moved towards Rumuola from the Rumuokuta location of the bank, where one John James snatched a laptop and Charles Obiaolu snatched a cellular phone from members of the public. The group also seriously damaged a vehicle belonging to one of their seniors sent by the ex- militant leader Ateke Tom to pacify them.
“Various police patrols were mobilised to control the situation. By 1 pm, 48 of them were arrested, including those identified for the stealing. They were all charged accordingly. Situation is very calm.â€
By Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
