Posted by By PHILIP NWOSU on
The Nigerian Army at teh weekend warned the militant in the Niger-Delta region to beware of their moves and utterances, as the force would not hesitate to unleash mayhem on them if it gets the full directive to take over the area.
The Nigerian Army at the weekend warned the militant in the Niger-Delta region to beware of their moves and utterances, as the force would not hesitate to unleash mayhem on them if it gets the full directive to take over the area.
Indeed, the Nigerian Army said that the militants are no match for its highly professional force, pointing out that in an event of a full-blown war, the militants stand to lose.
Speaking with Daily Sun Army Spokesman Brigadier General Emeka Onwuamaegbu said: 'The threats by the militants are empty and their confidence are misplaced, but we urge them to embrace dialogue in place of violence."
General Onwuamaegbu said Federal Government has already taken steps to ameliorate the problems in the Niger-Delta, urging the militants to lay down their arms or face the wrath of the force.
He said that the attack of the militants on military and some government facility in the area could not be regarded as success, especially in view of the fact that a full-blown war had not been declared against the militants.
'We are responding in such a way that there will be minimal casualty. The militants should be careful not to levy war upon themselves because we have a professional army, which can confidently contain them in the face of full scale war," General Onwuamaegbu told Daily Sun in telephone conversation.
Speaking on the attack on the Bonga oil field, a deepwater facility that is located 120 kilometers (100 nautical miles) offshore, the Naval Spokesman Navy Captain Henry Babalola said the force is capable of dealing with any threat within the territorial waters of the country.
He said the Navy polices about 84,000 square miles of waters with very few vessel and lean resources, adding that an increase funding would assist the force to do more in the area of protecting the country's oil facilities.
Earlier, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Rear Admiral Sylvester Umosen described the attack as an isolated case but added that the Navy has deployed fully to prevent further attack.