Apprehension, suffering and death. These are the concerns as the military begins a massive buildup against armed agitators in Nigeria’s oil rich region, the Niger Delta.

Yesterday, a long convoy of about 32 articulated vehicles was seen on the Port Harcourt-Warri dual carriage way carrying long-range tanks, armoured personnel vehicles and an assortment of weapons. The vehicles allegedly headed to military formations in Delta and Bayelsa states.

Since the military launched ‘Operation Crocodile Smile’, there has been such a movement of heavy military hardware. But it has become frequent lately.Some days ago, the Chief of Army Staff said the deployment was not meant to intimidate residents of Niger Delta but for strategic military purposes to make Nigerians feel safe in the region.

But the Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) alleged that the deployment of troops and weapons in the region was an indication that the Federal Government was not interested in peace in the region and was intimidating the people.IYC spokesman, Eric Omare, said the President Muhammadu Buhari’s government had shown through the deployment that it was never interested in dialoguing with the Niger Delta stakeholders.

Also, the Pere of Seimbiri Kingdom, His Royal Majesty Ayemi Botu, said the frenzied deployment of military hardware and troops in the region showed insensitivity on the part of the Buhari government and could throw the region into chaos.

“Sequel to the acceptance of a ceasefire, courtesy of monarchs and other leaders of the Niger Delta 10 days ago by the Niger Delta Avengers and other militant groups, one would have expected President Buhari to announce his dialogue team as he did in early June, 2016 when he declared a two-week ceasefire, preceding his medical trip to the United Kingdom.

“To the contrary, he has ordered the mobilisation of troops to the Niger Delta under the pretext of military exercise code-named ‘Operation Crocodile Smile’ thus sending negative signals to all Nigerians and the international community that the stage is set to crush the militants at a time they have accepted ceasefire. “We have been making frantic and passionate appeals in conjunction with the United States Consul General, Mr. John Braye, calling on both the Federal Government and the militants to sheathe their swords and embrace dialogue to proffer lasting solutions to the Niger Delta quagmire.

Both the United States and the European Union have expressed their determination to partner the Federal Government in this onerous task now that the opportunity is available,” Botu said.

He implored President Buhari to withdraw the troops and follow the path of honour to set a machinery in motion without further delay to commence the dialogue.“Wise counsel suffices, but if unheeded and the military authorities go ahead to unleash their arsenal on the goose that lays the golden egg and all the strategic and volatile oil installations are affected, invariably the resultant conflagration will certainly overwhelm the entire region, Nigeria will be comatose economically,” the monarch said.

Meanwhile, the military has vowed to use proportional force to dislodge those described as criminals and groups threatening the peace and stability of the Niger Delta.As it continues its offensive against militants, the military urged law- abiding residents of the region not to panic when they see the movement of troops and heavy weapons.

The Commander, 2nd Brigade, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Brig.-Gen. Hamisu Hassan gave the advice yesterday.“The exercise ‘Operation Crocodile Smile’ is part of the routine military exercise that we conduct and has been planned to take place to enhance proficiency of our personnel. Such an exercise is done in other parts of the country, in the North East and North West, and which is peculiar to the security challenges in that area.

“So, I want to assure the law-abiding citizens to remain calm as they see troop movements and equipment they have not seen before. They should go about their lawful activities without fear. Nothing will happen to any law-abiding citizen. We are here to protect them,” the commander said.

According to him, the ‘Operation Crocodile Smile’ has made tremendous achievement in the fight against pipeline vandalism, cultism, and other criminal acts in the Niger Delta.

GMBuhari:
Tthe IYC , NDA MASSOB has been intimidating Nigerians since May2015

We warned this will happen


Next i expect them to call on Amnesty Int'l , UN and protest in world embassies

It's never Good to support evil because payback is a biatch

izombie:
They used deception to milk niger delta oil and impoverish the area. They used one nigeria to milk niger delta oil and impoverish them more. Now that niger deltans eyes don clear, they are now using intimidation and possibly, war to continue milking niger delta oil and impoverish them even more. Buhari has clearly shown that he is a northern president. His brothers, the herdsmen have been murdering people everywhere but buhari has done nothing. In less than 2 years in power, buhari has destroyed everything. Now he's about to go to war. I have to agree with the person that said God is using buhari to punish nigerians. This man has nothing to offer but more poverty and gnashing of teeth. I rest my case.

trapQ:
Dull government

izombie:
who did massob intimidate? Has NDA killed one person? And you forgot to mention the fulani herdsmen. They have killed thousands of people but buhari is only concerned about NDA. Thing is buhari is gradually taking himself towards spending the rest of his life in prison. I see buhari in the hague soon.

OreMI22:
Buhari, you can start this war, but you will not be the finisher.

Nigeria will be a very different place after this war.

Mark those words.

Geniro:
If Buhari wants to bring down our oil production to zero let him deploy full Military might. People haven't still learnt their lessons.

izombie:
who did massob intimidate? Has NDA killed one person? And you forgot to mention the fulani herdsmen. They have killed thousands of people but buhari is only concerned about NDA. Thing is buhari is gradually taking himself towards spending the rest of his life in prison. I see buhari in the hague soon.

OreMI22:
Buhari, you can start this war, but you will not be the finisher.

Nigeria will be a very different place after this war.

Mark those words.

Geniro:
If Buhari wants to bring down our oil production to zero let him deploy full Military might. People haven't still learnt their lessons.

Yujin:
Lol. Death to the murderous Nigerian Army. Death awaits you all. You will run but have no where to hide. Not a single drop of oil will be lifted again and Nigeria will be shut down.

disloman:
Ehya sorry bro.It can be painful.Seems all the NDDC,ministry of Niger delta and the 13% derivation money are spent to develop Lagos,Abuja etc.Sir!How much had be spent on Niger/delta?Ehya!I feel your pain.God bless you guys with good leadership.So deal with it.Lest I forget,You don't f u c k with a state and win.

Goke7:


PMB has actually been waiting for the militants to bring oil production down to zero all this while nah, what have the militants been doing? dancing?

FOLYKAZE:


[s]The military are already on ground and production still continue. While you are counting down production rate to reach zero, the military will count increasing numbers of Militants corpse.

Since the training exercise, Cultist and their subordinates like Vandaland kidnappers are been wasted like rat. Let them continue bombing, we will continue killing them

Nigeria win while you lose your joy and life. [/s]