The Bayelsa State governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson has appointed former leader of the disbanded Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Ebikabowei Victor-Ben, also known as Boyloaf and 10 others into an 11-man special task force to secure the creeks and waterways in the state against violent crimes.
The establishment of the task force is coming barely few days after a coalition of ex-militant leaders in the state assisted men of the Nigerian Police and Department of State Security Service (DSS) to secure the release of three high profile victims.
According to Dickson, the task force is saddled with the responsibility of tackling rising wave of kidnapping, sea piracy, illegal bunkering and oil pipeline vandalism that have been on the rise of late in the state.
The eleven man task force has Ebikabowei Victor-Ben (Boyloaf) as chairman, with Osei Clever as vice chairman, while Tony Ekisa, Pastor Reuben Wilson, Ayibatari Odio, Alalebo West, as members.
Others are Ibarakumo Otobo, Daubiri Samba, Chiefson O. Chiefson, Etai Daniel and Pius Andabai Wariyai.
Governor Dickson, who expressed deep concern over the rising cases of insecurity in the state’s waterways, called on community leaders, youths and the general public to be vigilant and cooperate with the special task force as well as the various security agencies to flush out the perpetrators of criminal activities on the waters.
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