Military’s new division unsettles Avengers

The recent establishment of six divisions within Rivers State, Port Harcourt in the Niger Delta by the Nigerian Army that will improve its internal security operations in four states of the Niger-Delta, Tuesday sparked-off fresh trouble for the Niger Delta Avengers who threatened more attacks on oil pipelines within the region, describing the strategies as absurdity on its rightful agitation.

But the  General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Division, Major-General Kasimu Abdulkarim, in his words said; “with the new arrangement, it will help to curtail the activities of militants, banditry, inter-communal clashes, illegal bunkering, kidnapping, robberies Niger-Delta Avengers and Pipeline vandalism prevalent in the areas” Saying that activities  of these crime perpetrators had impacted negatively on the national economy.

But in a statement issued by Avengers signed by one Major Thiridiri Okparumu warned that it would continue to blow up pipelines since the military had rolled out its strategies to shut them out in their rightful agitation, insisting that it would also cripple all oil installations within the Niger-Delta region.

Part of the statement reads: “We are not unmindful of the military fresh plot to silence our agitation in rightful direction; we will continue to blow up oil pipelines, and cripple all oil installations until the nation is grounded to a complete halt”.

Expectedly, the seemingly endless battles for the survival of the Niger-Delta people which saw a dialogue team leaders, traditional rulers and leaders of thought meet with President Mohammadu Buhari in Aso Rock a few weeks ago with 16 points agenda, had faced what many said had a split group speaking two languages and divisions in the bid for settlement.

It was gathered that the perennial upsurge of militancy may be far from over as the Avengers’ group has been meeting in its creeks to decide the final onslaught of the nation’s economy especially to avenge the military recent strategies to pummel them out of their agitation.

The statement further threatened that the military strategies were absurdity to its fundamental right agitation, especially as it branded it (Avengers) as “criminals” among others to be wiped out of the Niger-Delta region.

“It is importance to stress here that our aquatic PANDEF leaders feel more at home when they are discussing inside their palm grove swamps, if and when the two sides meet to reconcile their lists, we will not stop at nothing than to continue on our agitation of rights” the statement added.

But in swift reaction, an aide to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, Mr. Ambrose Okaku on library matters, appealed to the Avengers to embrace dialogue with President Muhammadu Buhari, adding that their activities in past few months have brought pains not only to Deltans but the nation at large.