The Joint Task Force may have taken steps to beef up security in the Niger Delta as tension mounted over the order by militants on oil companies operating in the region to quit.
Although the military authorities have not responded to the order by the militants, it was learnt that the number of soldiers in Port Harcourt and its environs had been increased substantially following the receipt of the threat.
Findings revealed that the JTF had erected more posts at the creeks and deployed its men to man them on permanent basis rather than move in and out of the areas, as was the case in the past.
Our correspondent sited at least four of the military outposts near an oil base being run by an American firm near Bille, Tombia and Elem-Tombia in Akuku Toru Local Government Areas on Sunday.
The soldiers manning the outposts fitted with sophisticated weapons, were however seen going about freely with the villagers and did not harass or terrorise those arriving or taking off with motorized boats at the respective jetties in the communities.
�We are here to maintain law and order and we have nothing to do with people who constitute no threat to the economic and territorial interest of our country�, one of the soldiers told our correspondent but pleaded anonymity.
But the deployment of the soldiers has made some of the natives to relocate from the riverine communities to Port Harcourt and its environs to avoid being caught up by crossfire between the army men and militants.
The Public Relations Officer of the 2nd Brigade of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt , Major Sagir Musa, however said in a telephone interview with our correspondent on Sunday that the JTF was aware of the threat by the militants but declined to say what the authorities were doing about it.
Musa said, �Whether it is a threat or not, we are up to the responsibility of maintaining law and order and giving the oil firms a conducive atmosphere to operate. That�s our mandate.�
The militants, under the aegis of Joint Revolutionary Council last Friday, handed down the ultimatum, which expires on Monday.
The statement signed by Cynthia Whyte on behalf of the militants, warned that oil firms, their personnel and facilities would be attacked at the expiration of the deadline.
The United States has already warned its citizens from being frequent in the Niger Delta, particularly, Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states.