Militancy: Service Chiefs Storm Niger Delta on President’s Directive

•Identify 10 security threats

Senator Iroegbu in Abuja

Nigeria’s military chiefs have stormed the oil-rich Niger Delta region in order to confront the resurgent militancy and secure the area from economic sabotage and other acts of criminality.

The action is in response to the directive by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The team, which is led by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Gabriel Olanisakin, who was accompanied by Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas, were in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, on Saturday, during an operational visit to the headquarters of the Operation Pulo Sheld.

Olonisakin, while speaking on the inspection tour, pledged the resolve of the Nigerian military forces to deal with pipeline vandals, oil thieves, kidnappers, cultists and sundry crimes in the Niger Delta region.

The CDS who was conducted round by Commander of Operation Pulo Shield, Maj-Gen Alani Okunlola, said: “The visit followed the strategic directive of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Muhammad Buhari, to deal with identified security threats in the Niger Delta”.

President Buhari had while in China, warned those behind the militancy in the region to either desist from any criminal acts and economic sabotage or be ready to be treated like the Boko Haram terrorists.

In response, Olonisakin said that the visits was to access the challenges of the troops with a view to addressing them to ensure operational effectiveness in dealing with the threats.

He said: “I am in Yenagoa on operational visit to Operation Pulo Shield as well as the Boat House vessel we have in Akassa.

“It is such that we can understand the challenges they are facing here and address these challenges to enhance their operational effectiveness and efficiency.”