Posted by From AKIN ALOFETEKUN, Minna on
Chief of Operations of the Nigerian Army, Major-General Mohammed Sani Saleh has assured that soldiers deployed to the Niger-Delta will continue to apply minimum force on the militants no matter the level of provocation.
Chief of Operations of the Nigerian Army, Major-General Mohammed Sani Saleh has assured that soldiers deployed to the Niger-Delta will continue to apply minimum force on the militants no matter the level of provocation.
Saleh who gave this assurance on Monday in Kontagora , Niger State, while answering questions from newsmen said, no matter what happens, we will continue to use the minimum force necessary even if the militancy lasts for ever.
We cannot use all our might to resolve the crisis in the Niger Delta because it is a home land affair. We call it internal security operations. The situation in the Niger Delta requires all elements of national power to resolve; diplomatic, military, economic and everything.
The military will try to provide enabling environment for the other elements of power to work. Ours is just to stabilize the security situation that government can work without stress, without pressure to resolve the problem.
Don't forget that the militants too are Nigerians and everybody has the right to express his discent. However if they go beyond the reasonable limit in expressing their discent, then we will respond accordingly.
What is happening in the Niger Delta is a symmetric warfare in which a weaker force is fighting a superior force. We are always ready to use the possible minimum force."
Speaking in the same vein, Deputy Chairman of House Committee on the Army, Honourable Mathew Okega agreed with the army on the use of minimum force on the militants, pointing out that the criminals among them would be identified and treated as criminals.
Saleh was in Kontagora to represent the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Luka Yusuf at the Combat Support Arms Training Week for officers of the Artillery, Engineering and Signals.
In his welcome address, Major-General John Babatunde Samuel, Commander, Corps of Artillery, described the theme of the week, Transforming the Combat Support Arms to meet the Challenges of Modern Warfare as quite apt, saying, it provides the platform for us to meet and share ideas on contemporary issues and in the process proffer solutions to the challenges that are likely to confront us in the course of executing our various roles.
Samuel enjoined participants to see the forum as an opportunity for us to discuss objectively the challenges we anticipate and proffer solutions.
Yusuf in his address said the army must strive hard to ensure that the combat support arms are well trained and equipped to cope with modern trends in warfare.