FG negotiating with Niger Delta elders, says Osinbajo
The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, has urged Nigerians not to lose sleep over the threats by some Niger Delta militants to bomb key public and private institutions in Lagos, Abuja and Kaduna.
In a swift reaction to the threats by the Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force (JNDLF) to bomb the State House, Abuja, Defence Headquarters, Police Headquarters, refineries, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and others today, the IGP affirmed that the police authorities would provide adequate security for all law-abiding citizens.
Last week, the JNDLF threatened to launch six missiles beginning from today.
And yesterday, the group issued a statement, threatening to bomb the country’s seat of power, Aso Rock, Abuja, and the National Assembly in its full-scale hostilities this week.
In the new statement, the JNDLF warned residents and occupants of such targeted buildings and areas, including offices of oil multinationals, to vacate them for their safety.
The group, which claimed to be an affiliate of the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), also named the CBN, Department of State Security (DSS) Headquarters, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Towers, Supreme Court/Appeal Court, Agip headquarters, Abuja, Shell headquarters, Lagos, Chevron headquarters, Lagos, Exxon Mobil, Lagos, Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), Lagos, and other public offices in Abuja, Kaduna Refinery and all military formations in the country.
But Arase said that the Nigeria Police is well prepared to confront any group of persons who will threaten the peace of the country.
In an exclusive interview with The AUTHORITY on behalf of the IGP, the Force Spokesperson, Olabisi Kolawole, declared that the police would not leave any stone unturned to ensure that the life and property of Nigerians are protected.
According to her, the IGP has directed all command commissioners of police to remain alert and ensure that Nigerians are protected.
She said: “We are well prepared to protect the life and property of Nigerians wherever they are in this country. We are not leaving anything to chance as the IGP has directed our men all over the country to remain on the alert.
“The police will not tolerate anything that will disturb the peace of Nigerians. We therefore warn troublemakers to have a rethink and take the path of peace” Kolawole said.
The Force Headquarters therefore urged Nigerians to remain on the alert and report to the police or any security agent, any suspicious gathering or movement for prompt action.
Meanwhile, the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, has disclosed that the Federal Government was engaged in a dialogue with Niger Delta stakeholders to stem the incessant militants’ attacks on oil facilities in the region.
Speaking at the Presidential Villa during a meeting with a delegation of the European Union (EU) led by the EU Ambassador in Nigeria, Mr. Michel Arrion, Osinbajo said the peaceful dialogue had, however, not stopped the government from stepping up security measures in the oil-rich region.
Osinbajo explained that the engaging of the leaders and people of the Niger Delta on the spate of attacks was in line with the administration’s resolve “to ensure that the man on the street in the Niger Delta receives the benefit from all that is available there.”
Describing the attacks as economic sabotage, the Acting President called on the leaders in the region to be accountable to the people, even as the Federal Government works round the clock to minimise the losses arising from the bombings.
He also restated the determination of the administration to ensure that the ease of doing business ranking in Nigeria goes up by at least 20 steps in the World Bank rating.
Ambassador Arrion said he came for consultations with the Nigeria as a follow-up on President Muhammadu Buhari’s meeting with EU leaders during his visit to the continent, adding that “Nigeria has a huge market we can invest in. It is also a place we can export to.”
The new militant group had in the statement it issued on Monday, said the decision to bomb the aforementioned institutions was taken during its last Joint Revolutionary Council meeting in a deliberate attempt to actualise the United States of America’s prediction of the eminent break-up of the country.
The statement was signed by General Akotebe Darikoro (Commander, General Duties), General Torunanaowei Latei (Creeks Network Coordinator), General Agbakakuro Owei-Tauro (Pipelines Bleeding Expert) and General Pulokiri Ebiladei (Intelligence Bureau).
The group said that it will fire missiles simultaneously at night to make serious its earlier threat to Nigerians.
The group declared ex-militant leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo, whom it alleged had fled to Libya, wanted dead or alive for betraying the Niger Delta struggle.
According to it, “In our final meeting it was resolved that the Nigerian Communication Satellite Orbit should be shut down so that it will avoid the cause of electronic radiation to human lives.
“Also, the following occupants of these buildings should as a matter of urgency, vacate them immediately in order to save their lives because our fight is not for any human blood to be shed but to destroy all those infrastructures that were built with our oil and gas monies in this country.
“We will make the Federal Government and oil companies to suffer as they have made the people of the Niger Delta region suffer over the years from environmental degradation and environmental pollution.
It added, “We equally advise the diplomatic community to be neutral on this issue as wrong comments against us will be seen as saboteurs. Where they are staying at present will not be affected which is not part of our targeted areas of destruction in the country.
“We shall embarrass the self-acclaimed Nigerian Air Force with their recent deployment of fighter aircraft, helicopter gunship and surveillance aircraft when at this digital age, countries are talking about missile development, and they still condescend so low with their present obsolete equipment. This is sad indeed!”
They cautioned President Muhammadu Buhari to be mindful of counsels from some Niger Delta leaders, especially Chief Ayiri Emami, Professor Itse Sagay and a former ex-militant leader, Israel Akpodoro, whom the militants said are under their searchlight.
“The founder of the Niger Delta Ex-Agitators, Israel Akpodoro, is a dead man and that he should not hide for linking former President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State with the Avengers. We are not in any community, the military can’t locate Tompolo but we have identified where he is now,” the group said.
Meanwhile, a prominent Niger Delta leader, Chief Favour Izoukumor, has described the missile launch threat as a needless venture and asked President Buhari to have a rethink about military action to confront them.
Izoukumor said employing political measures could help forestall further militants’ attacks on the nation’s oil facilities.
The Fiye-Owei of Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom in Warri South West Local Government Area of the state blamed the resurgence of militancy in the region on underdevelopment and urged the government to match words with actions on the development of the region