THE Arogbo Ijaw National Front (AINF), an umbrella body of ethnic associations of Arogbo clan on the western flank of the Ijaw nation, has warned Army authorities on “the threats to peace”, which the reported manhunt for one of its most prominent figures, High Chief Bibopre Ajube, could cause in the area.

Ajube, an ex-militant and frontline commander of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) during the militancy years prior to the Federal Government Amnesty Programme, operates a government-approved security outfit in the area to protect oil installations. He is said to be on the wanted list of soldiers because of renewed hostilities in the Niger Delta region.

In a statement signed by its president, James Akubirisei, AINF also stated that the heavy presence of soldiers in the area has chased away the local vigilante groups who were hitherto maintaining the peace in the communities and alleged that the soldiers had taken one Ebi Molos away to an unknown destination.

According to the statement, “The reported continued search for Ajube, the founder of Gallery Security Services is already heating up the security in the area because ‎the man has contributed to the peace of the riverine than any other individual.

“He has made efforts aimed at ensuring peace in the riverine area and the way and manner he is being hunted by the soldiers for no just cause is a matter of concern to all and sundry. We are appealing to the military authorities to recall these soldiers because their presence which has forced out Gallery outfit vigilante from their posts is already creating fears of possible inter-ethnic hostilities and even armed robbery in the riverine areas.”

Reacting to reports of his being hunted by soldiers, Ajube who spoke through one of his aides, said, “I think I am just a victim of my magnanimous efforts towards peace in the riverine areas of the state and even beyond. Here I am, cooperating with the Federal Government to stop pipeline vandalism and illegal bunkering in the coastal areas and beyond, but what is the result?

“While I am being hunted by the vandals and their sponsors for standing up against criminality, the same Federal Government has opted to launch a manhunt for me for highly spurious and unclear reasons. I have lost not only resources but painfully too, youths who chose to partner with me in this noble cause have lost their lives with several widows and fatherless children left for me to cater for.