No petition on ex-militants war threat -Police

No petition on ex-militants war threat -Police

The police have said they are still studying the threat by some ex-militants to
declare war against the nation, if President Goodluck Jonathan does not win the
forthcoming presidential election.

The Force stated that it would take appropriate action at the right time.
Some ex-militants, including Mujahideen Dokubo-Asari, Tompolo and Boyloaf, had
threatened to wage war against the nation if Jonathan loses the presidential
election in February, after a meeting between Governor Seriake Dickson of
Bayelsa State; the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Mr. Kingsley
Kuku and the ex-warlords in Yenagoa last week.
Former Defence Minister, Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma, had called for the arrest
of the ex-militants for constituting a threat to the peace of the nation.
But when asked what on Friday what the police planned to do about the threat,
the Force Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Ojuwku, explained that the police
were studying the situation and would take appropriate steps.
When prodded further on why the ex-militants had not been summoned or
cautioned, Ojukwu said there was no report before the police on the threat.
He said, “We have not taken action because there is no report or complaint
before the police; no one has lodged a complaint on the issue, but we are
studying the situation and would take the necessary step at the right time.”
The Federal Government had on Thursday condemned the inflammatory statement
by the warlords, saying there was no basis for the beating of war drums by the
ex-militants.
Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, described the threat by the warlords as
reprehensible, stressing that Jonathan had said he would concede defeat if he
lost the presidential election.
Moro said, “It is reprehensible for people to threaten this country with mayhem
and violence should their candidate lose the elections. The President of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, has not left anybody in doubt
as to his preparedness to conduct a free, fair, credible and transparent election.
“Mr. President has said that in the unlikely event of his losing the election, in the
course of this exercise, that he is straight man enough, he was democratic
enough to concede defeat.
“And so if Mr President himself, who is the main contestant in this election, who
is the President of this country, who is the leader of the PDP, has come out to
say that he was going to ensure free and fair elections, where the choice of
Nigerians would be respected, I do not see where statements from the supporters
of either Mr. President or any other political parties for that matter should derail
the course of this democratic movement.”