FOUR alleged militants from the Niger Delta would this morning be charged with terrorism over an attempt to kidnap some expatriates working for Conoil and Gas Limited.
The arraignment seems to be an indication of the Federal Government�s resolve to clampdown on terrorism and hostage taking in the Niger Delta. President Olusegun Obasanjo gave an indication of this initiative at a meeting with stakeholders in the Niger Delta yesterday where he said government has had enough of hostage taking in the region.
He ordered troops and policemen to meet �force with force in tackling criminals.� He threatened to deal firmly with kidnappers of foreign workers in Niger Delta, saying: �We are going to be firm and say no to violence and hostage-taking. Wherever we find hostage-takers now, we will hunt them down. We will not accept this any longer,� Obasanjo declared, according to an official statement.
He said government would spare no effort to ensure an immediate cessation of the spate of kidnappings and other crimes that threaten economic activities in the volatile but oil-rich region.
�Nigeria is a signatory to international conventions which categorise hostage-takers and their accomplices in non-international conflict situations as terrorists to be hunted down wherever they go,� he said.
The suspected four militants that will face terrorism charge today include Livingstone Kiani, Eric Abadiada, Urohkiani and Lovedey Lucky.
Meeting with Reps
Meantime, President Olusegun Obasanjo will today meet with People�s Democratic Party members of the House of Representatives to discuss what the letter of invitation to members described as �transmordal transportation� but Vanguard gathered is a move to take the House members into confidence on some pressing national issues.
The meeting which is scheduled to take place at the Aguda House in the Presidential Villa would be attended by an enlarged caucus of the People�s Democratic Party. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Masari would lead members of the House.