Security agencies in the Niger Delta region were on Sunday placed on red alert following threats by militants to embark on fresh attacks on oil workers and facilities this week.
It was learnt that the Federal Government issued the order to the Commander of the Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta, Operation Restore Hope, Brig-. Gen. Lawrence Ngubane, and commissioners of police in Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers states� police commands.
Our correspondent gathered that government directed the security agencies to prevent the occurrence of any untoward development in the region before, on and after May 29.
Findings by our correspondent further revealed that the Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. Martin Luther Agwai, made the government�s position known to Ngubane while the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, contacted the police commissioners on the matter.
Our correspondent learnt that government felt that reports of fresh criminal activities in the region might send wrong signals to the international community, especially foreign dignitaries, who planned to witness the inauguration of the President -elect, Alhaji Umar Musa Yar�Adua, in Abuja.
A senior Army officer, who spoke with our correspondent on Sunday, confirmed that the security agencies, particularly the JTF, had been directed to nip any action capable of embarrassing the government in the bud within the next two weeks.
The Army officer, who spoke at 93 Battalion, Effurun, Headquarters of JTF, said, �Everybody is aware that the people you call militants, but who we prefer to refer to as criminals promise to disgrace the Commander in Chief out of office by launching fresh criminal activities in the Niger Delta. We (security agencies) have been ordered to prevent them from carrying out the threat at all costs and we are ready for them.
�We are on red alert as directed by the Federal Government and we are ready to confront any rebellious group. This country belongs to all of us and we are not going to allow miscreants to portray Nigeria in bad light before the international community at this crucial stage of our national life,� added the officer who pleaded anonymity.
Investigation by our correspondent revealed that Ngubane would deploy additional troops and equipment in the waterways and creeks of the region within the week in order to keep the militants under control.