Defence Minister, Ambassador Thomas Aguyi- Ironsi yesterday announced the acquisition of sophisticated military weapons including unspecified modern gun boats to deal with criminals in the Niger Delta.
He warned that the Federal Government would no longer tolerate increasing activities of criminals masquerading as militants who unleash attacks and disrupt economic activities in the region.
Aguyi-Ironsi who assured multinational oil companies in the Niger Delta of adequate security was speaking at the Joint Task Force (JTF) headquarters, in Warri, Delta State. He said the visit would enable him appraise the activities of the JTF, parley with Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and Chevron as well as address problems confronting oil companies.
He said that government has recently took delivery of some military equipment which include gun boats for use in the Niger Delta. He however said that the weapons are not directed at the people of the region but to safeguard life and properties and to check the activities of criminals.
According to him, the Visit would assure major oil companies operating here Chevron and Shell that the President and the PDP led government is serious about maintaining law and order in the Niger Delta, the visit also afforded me the opportunity to look at the latest equipment that we have introduced into the region which include more gun boats to help maintain law and order in the Niger Delta, I was able to look at the gun boats to see that they are operational and few more are coming”.
He added that the Niger Delta problem has to be resolve at different level and dialogue remain the best solution. “It is not force that we are going to use to solve the problem but we are going to deal with criminals”
The minister also warned criminals parading themselves as militants in the region to desist from it as the government was not ready to tolerate any further activities that are capable of bringing the image of the nation to disrepute and crippling the nation economic activities.
According to him “Criminals using militancy as cover have been causing problems in the region, this has been very disturbing to the oil companies, we are trying to assure them that when it comes to criminality there is no sacred cow, the government will look into the matter”
He however assured the commander of the Joint Task Force Brig Gen. Alfred Ilogho that the federal government will do everything possible for members of the task force to be happy and perform efficiently.
Daily Champion recalls that Vice President Atiku Abubakar had alleged that Federal Government pondered military weapons worth $2 billion to tackle the Niger Delta crisis.
This was however denied by the government with Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen. Andrew Azazi saying no such amount was approved for the purchase of weapons.
He however said the purchase of military weapons was nothing unusual.