The Chief of Army Staff [COAS], Lt.-General Tukur Buratai has said that the Nigerian Army will attack the Niger Delta Avengers if government’s effort to dialogue with the various militant groups fails.
General Buratai declared this at the inauguration of newly built ultra-modern 2 Brigade, Nigerian Army headquarters complex and an Olympic-size swimming pool in Port Harcourt.
His declaration comes as the Avengers hit NNPC pipeline at Nsit-Ibom.
The militants had, according to their spokesperson, Brig. Gen Mudoch Agbinibo on Sunday blown the gas pipeline at Nsit-Ibom L.G.A, Akwa Ibom state.
In a statement on their website, Gen Agbinibo said:
“11:30pm on Sunday, the NDA blow up Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), gas pipeline at Nsit-Ibom L.G.A, Akwa Ibom state.
“NNPC should check their pipeline if it’s “system Anomaly,” the statement concluded.
Buratai, therefore, urged militant groups in the Niger Delta region to explore democratic means to make their needs known rather than resorting to violence.
According to him, “Government is still committed to dialogue, and whereby this cannot go on, then, we could resort to other means.
“The non-kinetic (force) means has always been the first before government can resort to the kinetic means.
“So, there is need for the Niger Delta Avengers to see reason and dialogue with government,” he said.
© Copyright 2015 www.elombah.com. Send eyewitness accounts/reports/articles to publisher@elombah.com; follow us on twitter handle @Elombah; like our Facebook page: “Elombah.com”
