Military floods Niger Delta with 3,000 troops as Operation Crocodile Smile gathers pace

CHIEF of army staff Lt General Tukur Buratai has revealed that as many as 3,000 troops have been deployed to the Niger Delta in response to the resurgence of militancy and the re-emergence of armed groups in the region.

 

Over recent months, the peace that had prevailed in the Niger Delta has been shattered with armed groups like the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) resuming militancy. They have resorted to blowing up oil pipelines and installations and have warned all operators in the area to pack up and go or face dire consequences.

 

In response, the government has attempted to initiate peace talks but some of the militants are yet to decide if they will participate or not. President Muhammadu Buhari has asked the security forces to treat those involved in blowing up oil installations the same way they would Boko Haram terrorists.

 

Speaking in Yenagoa, the Bayeslsa State capital yesterday, General Buratai told local people that the ongoing military exercise codenamed, Operation Crocodile Smile, was designed to protect them. During a visit to Governor Seriake Dickson, the chief of army staff told local communities to remain calm, stressing that troops involved in the exercise understood the rules of engagement and would strictly adhere to them.

 

General Buratai’s comments were made against the backdrop of allegations that the military had embarked on harassing and brutalising innocent residents along the coastline, an accusation that the security forces have always refuted. According to the army boss, his visit was necessary as part of the operation’s confidence-building, maintaining that the current exercise was meant to equip the soldiers with required skills to ensure the safety of the maritime environment for Bayelsa and other states of the Niger Delta.

“I am leading a cream of delegation of the Nigeria Army as part of our amphibious training activities in making sure the maritime environment is safe for Bayelsans and Nigeria at large. The exercise has mustered about 3,000 troops and equipment, yet we want to assure you that we are people-friendly and we want to appreciate the support you have given to the Nigerian Army,” General Buratai said.

 

He added that the military remained committed to the protection of the country’s territorial integrity from external aggressors, stressing that the Atlantic Ocean remains part of the territory that must be secured and protected from interferences. Governor Dickson, who commiserated with the army over the death of some soldiers in a boat mishap that occurred in the state, urged them to adopt dialogue as a means of fighting criminality in the region.