A former Niger Delta ex-militant leader and Head of the Bayelsa State
Waterways Security Task Force, Africanus Ukparasia, also known as
“General Africa”, has described as lies allegations by a female
activist from the Niger Delta, Ankio Briggs, that Governor Dickson had
donated 1,200 hectares of Ijaw land to Fulani herdsmen for cattle
grazing.
He called on all well-meaning Ijaw sons and daughters to disregard her
report in the social media in its entirety because there is no truth
whatsoever in it.
“General Africa”, in a statement issued in Yenagoa on Wednesday, said
the governor merely made available the Bayelsa Palm Area as a confined
space for cattle rearers to rear their cows, slaughter it and sell.
According to him, the decision would curtail the herdsmen from moving
around the state with their cattle and destroying farmlands in the
process adding that, all these were done in the interest of all
Bayelsans “and to ensure that cattle rearers don’t go beyond their
boundaries.”
While warning Ankio Briggs and her group of jobless social media
supporters to steer clear and desist from meddling in the affairs of
the state, the repentant Niger Delta warlord said any further attempt
by her and ilk to use the social media or any other platform to incite
the public against the government of Bayelsa State will be resisted by
him and his group.
General Africa” said, “Governor Dickson’s action was the right step
and should be commended by all. Ankio Briggs should have contacted the
governor directly to seek further clarification on the government’s
decision rather than take to social media to incite the public against
the government. Is she saying that it is better for the herdsmen to
roam our communities and in the process destroy farmlands which will
later result in untold crisis, needless bloodletting and mayhem
between the herdsmen and our people?
“The governor’s decision to use Bayelsa Palm as a consigned space for
them to rear their cattle as a means of regulating the activities of
cattle rearers in the state is in the interest of everyone. That was
why the government made the move to set up a committee after due
consultation with security agents to manage the activities of cattle
rearers in the state so as to prevent the unfortunate incidence of
what is happening in some states.
“The Fulani herdsmen are even expected to pay taxes to the state
government for using that confined space that has been provided”, he
stated.
“Ankio Briggs cannot claim to be more Ijaw than Governor Dickson who
is not only a well respected product of the Ijaw struggle but today
now stands as the leader of the Ijaw race by virtue of his political
leadership and outstanding track records of service to the Ijaw
nation. She should rather focus her attention in her home state of
Rivers where Ijaw collective interest and essence is grossly
undermined and threatened. The Ijaws in Rivers State have almost lost
their voices and place in the scheme of governance, yet Ankio Briggs
instead of confronting the demon in her house would rather poke her
nose in other people’s affairs.
“Let me also use this opportunity to warn all those who think that
they can catch in on Ankio Briggs’s reckless and inciting statement to
ferment trouble in the state to desist. As one who has spent
considerable time in the trenches fighting for our people, I know what
it means to secure the peace that we are currently enjoying in the
state today, courtesy of the Bayelsa State government. It has come at
great cost and we will go to whatever length to stop anyone or group
who want to truncate the peace and destabilize the polity just to
achieve their selfish aim.”