We Won’t Stop Bombing, Militants Tells FG

Meanwhile, militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers, said yesterday that in spite of the federal government’s deployment of fighter jets and the military in Delta State, it would not relent in its violent attacks on critical oil installations in the region.

The group, which said the heavy presence of the military would not stop them from their planned action that would shock the whole world, noted that Gbaramatu, now under military siege, was just one kingdom out the several Ijaw kingdoms spread across seven states.

The group, in a statement signed by its Spokesman, Brig-Gen Mudoch Agbinibo, said emphatically, “it is not our business what goes on in Gbaramatu Kingdom but our concern is the innocent children, women and aged people whom the Nigerian military has chased away from their homes now taking refuge in the forest”.

It alleged that some people (names withheld) benefitting from contracts for pipeline surveillance were behind the military invasion of Gbaramatu Kingdom in the guise of looking for the Niger Delta Avengers.

It queried: “The question is, why the innocent people of Gbaramatu, why the innocent pregnant women, why unleash terror on the aged people of Gbaramatu? Must you waste all these innocent blood just to secure the pipeline surveillance job?”

The militant group berated the International Community and the United Nations for looking the other way while the military occupied the kingdom.

The NDA also took a swipe on Tompolo for accepting the treatment being meted on his people wondering whether he would still refer to them as criminals.
The railings of the militants provided the opportunity for the Nigerian Army of not wanting to embrace dialogue yesterday.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, who was represented by Brig.-Gen. J. Hamakim, at the ‘State of the Nation Conference’, organised by the Nigerian Bar Association in Abuja yesterday said the Army had not ruled out dialogue with the group
Speaking on the activities of the Niger Delta Avengers in the oil rich region, Hamakim said that dialogue with the group was not yet a realistic option.

He was responding to a submission that government should explore dialogue with the Niger Delta militants instead of applying force that could further worsen the nation’s oil production in the region.
Hamakim, said in his response, that there was no sign that the Niger Delta Avengers’ members were ready for dialogue.

He said: “I quite agree that dialogue is very important. But where it is not too obvious that the adversary is ready to come out and talk, you can also force such a person.

“I think that is what the Nigeria Army is trying to do. Yes, we don’t know the group’s leader, for now; that is the only option, possibly we have to bring the people out to know who you can dialogue with.”

He said the activities of the group were affecting oil production as the nation’s production had recently further plummeted to 1.1 million barrels per day.
He debunked the allegation that soldiers who were involved in the operations in Gbaramatu were killing innocent residents and raped women.

“We have done our investigation and nothing like that is happening,” he said.
He also said the demonstrations by Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) leading to a clash between the protesters and security forces in Onitsha on Monday, were not peaceful.

Hamakim said: “Remember that lives were lost, policemen were killed, some were thrown overboard and the military has rules of engagement.