Niger Delta militants

Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

Nigerian Military has announced that it would depoly its combat team to the creeks of Niger Delta to stem the activities of militants and pipeline vandals. They will also check activities of kidnappers and proffer solutions to other security challenges in the state.

Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state has asserted that sharing of information among security agencies yielding results in checking security challenges in the state.

When the Commandant, 4th Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Brig.-General Banbella Raji paid him a courtesy call in Asaba today, August 1, Okowa observed that the synergy among the agencies have ensured successes in crime prevention in the state.

According to the Governor: “I have always called for collaborative efforts between security agencies operating in the state and I am happy to say that the collaboration, especially in the area of sharing of information is working to the benefits of the agencies and the people of the state.”

He stated further that “pipeline vandalism affected us so much that what we currently receives is below 20 per cent of what the state received two years ago”.

Governor Okowa disclosed that apart from pipeline vandalism, the state was also facing the challenges of herdsmen clashing with farmers and some Fulani men, posing as herdsmen to kidnap people.

He commended the Army for collaborating with the Police in checking some criminal activities which ordinarily were within the purview of the Police, asserting, “we hope that the peace we enjoy now will be sustained, it is our hope that the security operatives remain proactive.”

“As a state, we will continue to support the operations of the Army and other security operatives to enable them carry out their functions in the state,” the Governor assured.

Earlier, Brig.-General Raji had commended Governor Okowa’s administration for supporting the operations of the security agencies which has led to improvement in the socio-economic life of Deltans. He stated further that they were in the state to check the activities of militants and pipeline vandals and also check activities of kidnappers, including proffering solutions to other security challenges in the state.

Delta State has been a hotbed of pipeline vandalism and sabotage of crude oil facilities by Niger Delta Avengers.