The Nigerian Army has said it is ready to halt the resumed hostilities of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta.
The Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier-General Ibrahim Attahiru, in a telephone interview with SUNDAY PUNCH, said the current strength of the military Joint Task Force operating in the region was sufficient to contain the group’s violent activities.
“Without doubt, the strength of the JTF in the Niger Delta is enough to deal with them. So, the issue of deployment of troops in the area does not arise. We are absolutely ready for MEND or any other group that might want to resume disturbance in the Niger Delta. The army will not tolerate such attacks on Nigerians,” he said.
Attahiru added that the army had already carried out a threat analysis in view of the resumed hostilities.
He said, “In situations like these, threat analysis is usually carried out. So, we know what threats we are faced with and we know that the JTF can handle the threats. There is no deployment in the area.”
Last Sunday, MEND claimed that its fighters killed 12 policemen in a boat that was ambushed in Azuzama, Southern Ijaw, Bayelsa State, a day after the group threatened to resume hostilities.
The militant group had earlier announced that it would resume attacks in the oil rich Niger Delta to avenge alleged collaboration between the Federal Government and South Africa to jail its former leader, Henry Okah.
Security agencies had dismissed the threat and said they were ready for MEND.
MEND, in an online statement also claimed that two of its fighters died in the exchange of fire with security agents, which lasted for 40 minutes.
The militant group advised oil firms and members of the public to disregard the “false sense of security being peddled by the JTF.”
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God will punish anybody that is against the peace of this country.
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