Niger Delta Republic: Military Commanders converge in Yenagoa

 • Pledge civil operations

By MIKE TAYESE, Yenogoa

THE Joint military force deployed to the Niger Delta, Operation Delta Safe, has summoned its operations commanders to a closed-door strategic meeting on the activities of militant groups threatening to declare a Niger Delta Republic in final build up for military operations in the zone.

The military, however, pledged to remain civil in dealing with security threats by militant groups in the region.

Read Admiral Joseph Okojie, Commander of the joint operation, said the deployment of troops and equipment noticed last week at Kaima in Bayelsa was part of normal operations to keep the region safe. He said that massive troops and military hardware were deployed to Kaima in Bayelsa State following threats by a militant group, Adaka Borroh Avengers, to take control of the area.

The group, however, beat a retreat following interventions by elder statesmen from the region, including former President Goodluck Jonathan. This paved way for a ‘show of force’ by the joint military operation in Niger Delta.

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Okojie, speaking after a meeting with Unit Commanders within Operation Delta Safe in Yenagoa, noted that the military had the freedom to be in any part of the country.

“The Federal Republic of Nigeria belongs to all of us and the armed forces has the freedom to be at any part of Nigeria at any time, we are merely doing our normal duty within our mandate. We were in Kaima to show that Operation Delta Safe was on the ground to ensure that the report by some faceless organizations about creating a ‘territory’ to themselves is not allowed to happen,” he siad.

“The heavy presence being noticed in parts of the Niger Delta is part of our routine duties to guarantee the safety of law abiding people of the Niger Delta and ensure a conducive atmosphere for economic activities. I am sure that we did not molest or intimidate anyone, we shall be professional and civil in the discharge of our duties, our presence form part of our normal duty to reassure the people that there is no cause for alarm,” Okojir stated.

Okojie further explained that the meeting with Component Commanders of Operation Delta Safe was to review the achievements of the operation to ensure that they were mission oriented.