The Defence Headquarters has said it is prepared to flush out the Niger
Delta Avengers, NDA, and other Militant groups operating in the Niger
Delta Region.
A statement signed by the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier
General Rabe Abubakar said security operatives and the Armed Forces
stationed in the Niger Delta region cannot be blackmailed from discharging
their constitutional responsibilities.
“The Defence Headquarters wishes to emphasize that the Nigerian Armed
Forces will not relent in their efforts to flush out economic saboteurs
masquerading under whatever guise to perpetuate evils in the Niger Delta.
“As part of the constitutional mandate of the Armed Forces, the military
will not jettison the confidence reposed in it by the good citizens of our
great nation in ensuring that peace and security prevail in our land.
“The military is not unmindful of the campaign of calumny against our
soldiers by paid agents claiming that soldiers are harassing members of
the public while performing their constitutional responsibility.
“It is pertinent to state that it is the same group of people that are
wreaking havoc on the critical national assets that are blackmailing the
Armed Forces and other security agencies to divert attention.
“The military and other security agencies will continue to discharge their
lawful duties in the Niger Delta and any other part of the country in a
most professional manner devoid of the claim by the criminal elements of
harassment, intimidation and arrest.
“Our job is to secure infrastructural facilities and property of innocent
citizens as well as containing the activities of criminal.
“The blackmail by sponsored persons would not deter the military from been
focused and committed in its effort to fish out the vandals as the whole
world is seeing what the so called Militants are criminally doing in the
attacks of oil pipelines.
“The security measure put in place is not meant to intimidate any innocent
individuals but to bring normalcy to our land.
“We urge the communities and well-meaning Nigerians to cooperate with the
security agencies in their bid to apprehend the perpetrators.
“The military would respond decisively in a professional manner at
appropriate time” the Acting DDI said.