Militant group warns army, oil firms of imminent attack

*We are on national assignment, says Army spokesman
*Group urges agitators to halt bombings

A militant group, the Niger Delta Greenland Justice Mandate (NDGJM) has warned the military and oil firms of an imminent attack, in what it tagged the “next big statement.”The spokesman of NDGJM, Gen. Aldo Agbalaja, said yesterday that there would be no ceasefire until there is a correction of the injustices of the past years.

According to him, Operation Crocodile Tears, launched recently, would be stepped up and that by the time they unleashed the Phase II of the mission tagged, ‘Operation Hammurabi Code’ only God knows what will become of Nigeria.

However, the Nigeria Army said yesterday that it was unfazed by the threat. When The Guardian inquired from the Defence Headquarters if the military was aware of the threat, the Director, Defence Information (DDI), Brigadier General Rabe Abubakar said the military has a constitutional mandate to carry out.

He said the national assignment couldn’t be compromised for anything, maintaining that negotiations are going on with militants in the Niger Delta area.
Abubakar insisted the troops are rendering national service, protecting every law-abiding citizen, notwithstanding their nationality, as long as they are resident in Nigeria.

The Army spokesman said, “We will do everything possible within our mandate to protect ourselves, innocent lives and property. Our nation is greater than anybody or group. Peace is the only answer, not violence.”

In a related development, the Network of Grassroot Elites for Capacity Development (NGECP) has cautioned the agitators against continued bombing of oil installations.

The South-South coordinator of NGECP, Adele Jombai, after a national conference in Awka yesterday, also urged the Federal Government to deepen engagement with the community leaders with the aim of addressing the problems.

Jombai noted that the elders and stakeholders in the Niger Delta region have told the militants that are involved in these activities to stop because the consequences are detrimental to all.