The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State described as ridiculous a statement credited to the embattled Caretaker Chairman of the Ese-Odo Local Government Council Areas, Ebielatei Lubi, and the Chairman of the Arogbo Ijaw National Front, Akubirisei James, accusing the APC of orchestrating the arrest of Ebi Molos.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State described as ridiculous a statement credited to the embattled Caretaker Chairman of the Ese-Odo Local Government Council Areas, Ebielatei Lubi, and the Chairman of the Arogbo Ijaw National Front, Akubirisei James, accusing the APC of orchestrating the arrest of Ebi Molos.
In a statement issued by the Party's Director of Publicity, Steve Otaloro, and obtained by a SaharaReporters correspondent in Akure, the State capital, the APC discredited the claims that the Party was responsible for the ongoing search for a former militant leader, Bibopre Ajube.
Mr. Ajube is the founder of a local anti-crime group, the Gallery Security Service (GSS) and is wanted by the military. According to Mr. Otaloro, there have been accusations that the APC was encouraging the search for the former militant in order to gain an advantage in the riverine area ahead of the forthcoming governorship polls in the State.
Mr. Otaloro while describing the allegation as a "comic relief of Shakespearean proportion", noted that the ongoing military operation has been the best thing that could have happened in the last 5 years to the coastal communities of the State.
"We have always maintained that the fascist regime of terror emplaced by the ex-militant leader and his GSS on the riverine communities of Ondo State with the active support of the Governor, Olusegun Mimiko and elements of the security services in the State will only lead us to a cul-de-sac.
“This was proven to be true thanks to their actions after former President Goodluck Jonathan lost the Presidential election,” Mr. Otaloro noted.
The Director of Publicity went on to say that young men were given “huge sums of money” to commit various acts of violence.
These young men, according to Mr. Otalogor, are trained in firearms. The weapons are stockpiled, and used, by members of the GSS as they traverse the riverine communities from Ondo State to Delta State.
Mr Otaloro also pointed to the recent visit of the Ministers of Niger Delta, Pastor Usani U. Usani, and the Minister of State for Niger Delta, Claudius Daramola to the riverine communities in Ondo State as further evidence that there was “ominous signs” mounting.
The Party's publicist revealed that the ex-militants had organised their thugs and successfully prevented two government Ministers from supervising uncompleted projects in the coastal communities.
Mr. Otaloro noted that Mr. Lubi was working to undermine the efforts of the security services to locate these “criminal elements”.
The APC publicist also accused Mr. Lubi, an ex-militant, of being in league with the criminals operating in the Delta.
He implored the State government to remove Mr. Lubi from his post as Caretaker Chairman of the Ese-Odo Local Government Council Areas, given the man’s “connections” to criminals.
The statement appealed to the military to sustain the operation while applauding their efforts and their respect for the rule of law in the ongoing operation in the riverine communities.