The leading
militant group operating in the oil rich region of southern Nigeria,
Niger Delta Avengers has lampooned the commander of Operation Delta
Safe, Rear Admiral Joseph Okojie, and commanding officer, Nigerian Navy
Ship, Delta, Commodore Joseph Dzunye, over claims that two of its members were arrested.
In a statement issued on the militants’
website on Sunday, August 14, 2016, the Avengers challenged both Okojie
and Dzunye to come to the creeks of Niger Delta, rather than stay in the
cities and arrest “sleeper” agents, who they brand as “Avengers
members” to attract favour from their bosses.
Spokesperson of the militant group,
Mudoch Agbinibo, threw the challenge in a statement posted on the
group’s website rebutting the claim by NNS Delta commander on Saturday,
August 13, 2016, that two suspects, Stanley Tonghan and Felix
Miyenminiye, arrested by the navy, few days ago, were members of the
militant group.
The Niger Delta Avengers said that the
two suspects were agents working in conjunction with security agencies
and were paid N5 million by two leaders (names withheld) to give Nigeria
military intelligence on the activities of the group.
“We made it clear that the Nigeria
military is using sleepers’ agents to track or checkmate the activities
and operation of the Niger Delta Avengers. But the more they try, the
more they run into crisis with their employed sleeper agents,” the
statement published on the group’s website said.
“Stanley Tonghan and Felix Miyenminiye
that were arrested and paraded by the Nigeria Navy Delta are few of the
sleeper agents working for Nigeria Military in conjunction with one
Ayiri Emani and Michael Johnny.
“The suspects (Tonghan and Felix
Miyenminiye) was paid 5 Million Naira to give Nigeria military
intelligent on the activities of NDA. On failing to deliver, the
suspects were arrested and tagged NDA members, what a shame.
“Stanley Tonghan and Felix Miyenminiye
are not members of NDA we do not know or have any connection with them.
The Navy Commanding Office NNS Delta, Warri (Commodore Joseph Dzunve) is
trying to impress his boss in Abuja, but arresting sleeper agents
recruited by his predecessor.
“Any criminal arrested is now an NDA
member. Since we (NDA) started the struggle, none of our operatives has
been arrested. All those in detention in the name of NDA are not part of
NDA, the world should know this.
“Nigeria military have not seen
embarrassment. NDA will keep embarrassing you because the only thing you
are good at doing in the Niger Delta region is arrest and killing of
innocent citizens of the Niger Delta in the name of looking for NDA and
illegal bunkering.
“If the Nigeria military is serious
about arresting NDA let them come to the creeks of the Niger Delta, that
is where we dwell not the city. If I (Brig.Gen Moduch Agbinibo) was the
Commanding Officer NNS Delta (Commodore Joseph Dzunve) and Commander of
the so-called Operation Delta Safe (Rear Admiral Joseph Okojie), I
would have been in the creeks instead of sitting at the comfort of my
air-conditioned office,” the statement said.
To the elders of the Niger Delta, the
group asserted: “Hope it clear to you, our elders, that the President
Muhammadu Buhari- led government is not reliable, reasonable,
responsible and not ready to dialogue.
“Can you tell the world the government
official you been dialoguing with? Is it the President? On the other
hand, is there any committee that is set up for it? We respect you our
elders, as such stop behaving, as the Niger Delta is a seized region and
stop acting like you are begging the government for dialogue.
“The worse the government will do is to
bombard our villages and towns in the name of looking for NDA.
Therefore, our elders should tread carefully with the Nigeria
government.
“The reason behind military harassment
of towns and villages in the Niger Delta is because NDA have not
confronted the Nigeria military in battle. We are not scared in
confronting you.
“The creeks of the Niger Delta belong to
us, so defeating the Nigeria military is not hard for us. We have made
it clear in many occasions that our business is to cripple the Nigeria
economy not to kill military. The Nigeria military should, not we, (NDA)
avoiding them, that is a sign of weakness,” the statement ended.
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