BEVERLY HILLS, May 24, (THEWILL) – The Nigerian Army has declared its readiness to engage new militant group, Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), to stop attacks on oil and gas installations in the Niger Delta.
This was declared by Abayomi Olonishakin, Chief of Defence Staff, at the inauguration of 12 refurbished gun boats and 40-bed space accommodation for troops in Okirika local government area of Rivers state.
“Government and military is using multi-faceted approach rather than force alone to ensure that resurgent attacks on oil and gas installations are stopped,” he said.
“We have told them to stop the destruction of oil and gas facilities and other critical national assets, as it negatively affects the economy with impact on livelihood of the people.
“If they have grievances, they should take it up with government rather than their current approach which is not in the best interest of the nation.
“If they continue to choose the path of bombing pipelines, then we will go after them and deal with the situation appropriately.”
Olonishakin said efforts were on to provide more gun boats and other military hardware for troops to maintain 24-hour patrol of about 5,000 creeks and waterways in the region.
“Repair of these gun boats will no doubt improve the capacity of the brigade to meet its responsibility in curtailing criminal acts in our inland waterways,” he said.
Also speaking, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, described members of the militant group as criminals.
“Whatever these criminals are doing is a criminal act. We will deal with them accordingly. We are looking at all the areas that we should address and we are doing that, including the criminals in the name of Niger Delta Avengers. They are not avenging anything. They are criminals,” he said.
“Nobody has offended them. They have their own criminal intentions and we will deal with them accordingly. They have been attacking our troops’ locations and killing our soldiers. We will not tolerate that. We will deal with them accordingly, according to the law.
“We will look for them wherever they are. That is how we will treat them. They are not agitating for any enclave or any state. They are just committing criminal acts. That is how we see it.”
Others at the event includes Ibok-Ete Ibas, Chief of Naval Staff; Sadique Abubakar, Chief of Air Staff; Ibrahim Attahiru, General Officer Commanding (GOC), 82 Division, Enugu; and Steve Olabanji, Commander of 2 Brigade.
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