•The Niger-Delta militants with Ateke Photo: Sun News Publishing

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Wanted Niger Delta warlord, Ateke Tom, has threatened all-round terror attacks in River State if, according to him, he is not compensated for the damages he suffered after the attack on his Okochiri camps by men of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF).

The militia leader, who has already claimed responsibility for the New Year day attack in Port-Harcourt in which 11 persons were killed, said it was only a dress rehearsal of what is to come.

Ateke, who heads the Niger Delta Vigilante, in a telephone interview with Daily Sun, said the shoot-out between his men and the JTF shortly after the recent Eleme fire incident occurred after members of the JTF advanced to his territory and his men responded. According to him, he had to respond because he was tired of running.

Speaking on the recent attacks on his residence by the JTF, Ateke blamed his woes on the Governor of Rivers State Chibuike Amaechi and a former governor of the state during the Babangida regime, Chief Rufus Ada George who hails from Okrika as himself. According to Tom, the JTF attack was politically motivated and masterminded by the governor and Ada George, purportedly because he did not belong to their camp. “Na Amaechi and Ada George set me up. Dem dey set me up because I no dey their camp,” he said.

Speaking on his escape during the well –planned JTF attack led by its commander, Brigadier General S.Y. Bello, the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Felix Ogbaudu and the state director of the State Security Service (SSS), Ateke confessed that he was nearly caught as he had no prior knowledge of the operation and was still in his house during the storm.

Counting his losses after the invasion, Ateke alleged that N5.2 million and a Hilux truck were among the items taken from his house by the JTF. He lamented that two of his bulletproof cars, household items and two of his mansions were burnt. He also recalled that many deep-freezers, computers and other valuable items were taken away by the JTF.

Although the alleged N5.2m and the Hilux truck were not among the items displayed to jounalists by the JTF, Ateke insisted that they were taken. He threatened that he would launch a revenge that would unleash terror all over the state, if he was not compensated. “Oga, make I tell you, I will do many bad, bad things in the state if dem no pay me back,” Ateke vowed.

Giving reasons for the attack, Commander of the 2nd Brigade and the JTF, Brig Gen. Bello had told journalists that intelligence reports on the atrocities by sea pirates at the Bonny, Port Harcourt waterway and other robbery incidents in various parts of the state as well as illegal bunkering activities were all traced to Ateke.
Several rounds of dynamites and army uniforms were among the items recovered from the outlaw, the commander said.