The Defence Headquarters, on Thursday, said it had begun �self-cleansing� as part of measures to arrest the growing tension in the Niger Delta.
A top military officer, who briefed select journalists in Abuja on the recent explosions in Port Harcourt and Warri, confirmed the plan.
The officer, who pleaded anonymity, said the exercise would help the armed forces to �root out collaborators of violence or any untoward attitude by its personnel.
�If you capture the scenario, you will notice that there is self-cleansing in the military.
�The military is a product of the society. Afterall, the military personnel were civilians before they joined the military.
�Therefore, the military is looking critically and making sure that there are no collaborators within its fold.
�The military is cleaning out saboteurs. Even the Joint Task Force on Niger Delta is being restructured. This is all in an effort to make sure that the military is not compromised.�
He said the pattern of the bomb explosions in Port Harcourt and Warri, were �very identical.�
According to him, preliminary investigations showed that perpetrators of the blasts �put some explosive ordinance in some vehicles and detonated them with mobile sets or timers.�
He noted that though some militants claimed responsibility for the blasts, � a thorough investigation will indicate who did what and how the explosives were procured.�
The military and the State Security Service, he said, were handling the investigation.
He added, �Let�s get over with the investigation, we will then know who is setting the bomb, why and how, � he said.
Meanwhile, representatives of some Niger Delta militant groups, the Oodua Peoples Congress, the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, and Hisbah are expected to be part of the first international conference on terrorism and security in the country.
The militant groups are to be part of the over 2,000 participants expected at the conference.
The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, is the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee of the conference, which is slated for August 1 to 3, 2006 at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.
Addressing journalists on Thursday in Abuja, a member of the LOC, Mr. Nwadinobi Ufomadu, said the conference was aimed at making the world a safer place to live.
He said, �Participation at the conference is open to every citizen and militants groups. Everyone is welcome to share ideas and rub minds on safety and security.�