Military: Fight against N’Delta Militants will be Rational

Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa

The Flag Officer Commanding, FOC, Central Naval Command, CNC, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Rear Admiral Mohammed Garba, disclosed on Monday that the fight against militants who have recently resumed the destruction of oil facilities in the Niger Delta would be done “rationally”.

Rear Admiral Garba told our correspondent that those disturbing the peace of the region were just a minute percentage of the good people of the area, assuring that all those who are innocent should go about their duties without fear.

The naval chief who resumed duties a few weeks ago in Yenagoa, but had worked as the Commanding Officer, NNS Delta in Warri, noted that though the security situation in the waterways remained volatile, the force was working underground to minimise the activities of the renegade group, the Niger Delta Avengers.

‘’You are all aware about the security situation which is becoming volatile due to the demand of some people who call themselves the Niger Delta Avengers.

‘’So, we as a military are doing what it takes before we come up with a plan of action. We have patrols and when we have information, we have protected facilities within the resources available to us’’, he said.

He added that as part of the overall plan to rout the militants, the force had been cooperating and meeting with the Joint Task Force, JTF, the police, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC and other security agencies in terms of intelligence sharing.

He admitted that though the navy has had major challenges, it would continue to discharge its obligations to the citizenry dutifully.

‘’There’s no organisation without challenges but we are converting our challenges into successes. Military operations are not as easy as you think it is.

‘’There are circumstances that determine our information. It looks simple sometimes, but there are many things that go into it.”

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