Military Readies Major Offensive Against N’Delta Militants if Talks Fail

by Happiness Nwosu

Baring any major progress in the ongoing dialogue between the federal government and stakeholders in the Niger Delta to end the attacks on oil and gas installations, the Nigerian military is in process of wrapping up plans to launch a major offensive against the militants sabotaging facilities in the oil-rich region.

Despite the attempt at a détente, reliable sources informed THISDAY that the federal government was losing patience with the militants whose activities have disrupted oil and gas output and in turn revenue accruable to the government.However, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) confirmed yesterday that the federal government was in dialogue with militants, not criminals in the region, through oil companies and the law enforcement agencies.

It was on this basis that the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Dr. Maikanti Baru, met with the Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonishakin, and other top brass in the military last Thursday and appealed for their assistance in securing and safeguarding oil and gas assets in the region.

The NNPC boss warned that the country was in danger of not being able to execute the 2016 budget if the oil losses brought on by the militancy are not nipped in the bud.

In response to the visit, Defence Headquarters (DHQ) spokesman, Brig-Gen. Rabe Abubakar, told THISDAY yesterday that the military and other security agencies were leaving no stone unturned at maintaining security across the nation, including the Niger Delta.

Abubakar vowed that the military “shall continue to operate within our rules of engagement to deny the any group freedom of movement and action in order to curtail their excesses for the national interest of our country”.

He however stated that the military was going to be patient until the outcome of the ongoing negotiations with the militants and various stakeholders in the region before taking any major operational steps.

“We are not going to be pushed to respond to their criminal activities, as negotiations with our political leaders are ongoing. However, that doesn’t mean that we have shut our eyes to the ongoing sabotage in the region.

“We are mindful of our roles of maintaining security and protecting our strategic infrastructure and assets in that general area. We will maintain a higher level of professional presence to thwart any wanton activities.”

In the same vein, a senior military officer told THISDAY after the meeting with the NNPC that the military was preparing and ready for a major onslaught against the militants.

The officer said even though more resources and equipment would be needed, especially for the Nigerian Navy, the time being used for the dialogue would provide them the opportunity to gather intelligence and fine-tune strategies with other security agencies on how to tackle the menacing militants.

“I think we are ready to move and gather more intelligence so that whether it is an all out offensive or surgical operation, we will be able to hit them hard with minimal collateral damage.