[size=18pt]Army, militants in fresh war[/size]

Headlines Nov 18, 2010

By Emma Amaize, Samuel Oyadongha & Akpokona Omafuaire







WARRI — A bloody gun duel erupted in the creeks, Wednesday, between regrouped militants and soldiers drawn from the Joint Task Force, JTF, with both sides allegedly suffering casualties suspected to be up to 15.

The battle started at about 2.00 p.m. with some of the JTF gunboats also damaged.
At press time, the JTF had ordered reinforcement and more soldiers drafted to the battle zone, while villagers in a neighbouring Urhobo community to the militant camp were fleeing in droves.

Vanguard learnt that in line with the order of the Ministry of Defence to wipe out new militant camps in the Niger Delta, the JTF deployed soldiers with 12 gunboats.

It was meant to be a surprise attack but the militants who announced the formation of NDLF on Tuesday fought back when the soldiers opened fire.

A source said the militant group fought to retain the new camp.

Their leader, “General” Togo who led his men in the onslaught escaped unhurt.

Details not clear

Details of the gun battle were still not clear, last night. All a senior JTF operative told Vanguard when contacted was: “It was a serious battle, we have casualties on our side, many of our men were injured but we don’t have information yet.”

Sector Commander, JTF, Warri, Col. Jamil Sarhim, was said to have given fresh directive after being briefed by his officers that the militant camp must be destroyed. Efforts by Vanguard to speak to him failed as his mobile phone rang out.

Spokesman for the JTF, Lt.-Col. T. O. Antigha told Vanguard at about 6.40 p.m that he had not got the details of the attack.

Spokesman for the NDLF, “Captain” Mark Anthony, told Vanguard that the soldiers attacked the militant camp unexpectedly yesterday and the few fighters in camp rose up to the occasion and repelled them.

“So many soldiers were killed and others injured. Our intention for setting up a new militant camp was to draw Federal Government’s attention to the fact that some of us who accepted amnesty before were abandoned and that they should dialogue with us, but the JTF came for war.

“Now that they have attacked us, they should be prepared for the real war, we are ready for them. We are not against the government of President Goodluck Jonathan, all we are saying is that they should call a conference of all ex-militants to know how the amnesty programme is going and take necessary steps to correct the deficiencies,” he said.

Claims 3 militants were killed

He claimed about three militants were allegedly killed and the major casualties were on the part of the soldiers.

A villager told Vanguard the army allegedly went in about 14 gunboats to attack the militant camp but were trapped after four hours of gun battle and had to send for reinforcement.

At about 6 pm, Vanguard was reliably informed that soldiers were towing back the damaged gunboat to their base.

Nevertheless, it was gathered that Colonel Sarhim insisted that the camp must be destroyed.

FG deploys more troops

In a related development, more troops were yesterday deployed to the mangrove creeks of Bayelsa State by the Joint Task Force as part of moves to stem the resurgence of militancy in the region.

The noticeable large movement of soldiers to the Yenagoa jetty for onward journey to the creeks is also expected to boost the dwindling confidence of travellers on the troubled waterways due to the recent resurgence of piracy and criminality on the routes.

It would be recalled that some unfortunate commuters on the waterways in the last couple of months have lost their lives while others were raped, maimed and dispossessed of their valuables by pirates operating in the labyrinth of creeks.

The movement of the troops to the creeks, a security source told Vanguard, was to sustain the ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to rid the Niger Delta of criminal elements masquerading as militants.

He said with the granting of amnesty to all illegal arms bearing groups in the region by the Federal Government which also promised to address the problem of development in the Niger Delta, government would not fold its arms and some criminals plunge the region into another orgy of violence.

The source who said the security outfit had the responsibility to nip in the bud all threats of militancy and restore investors’ confidence in the Niger Delta, citing last week’s sacking of a militant camp at Forupa in which incriminating materials and documents were recovered by men of the Joint Task Force.

JTF confirms military operation

However, Coordinator of the Joint Media Campaign Centre of the security outfit, Lt Col Timothy Antigha, had in a statement, Tuesday, confirmed the military operation in the Niger Delta to stem the resurgence of militancy in the region, even as he allayed the fears of the natives.

His words: “You will recall that in the last few weeks, criminal gangs masquerading as militants have been engaging in all atrocities, like kidnapping, sea robbery and illegal boarding of oil production platforms.

“The JTF is currently in an operation to rid the Niger Delta of these criminal elements, in order for the region to experience the needed peace and security which are imperatives for sustainable development.

“All law-abiding indigenes of communities hosting these criminals are advised to remain calm and promptly report suspicious characters to relevant military authorities

The Commander of the JTF, Maj. Gen Charles Omoregie, had last week warned all illegal arms-bearing groups masquerading as militants or emerging militants to retrace their steps or have themselves to blame.

“It must be stressed that lack of development can no longer be given as an excuse for irresponsible behaviour, criminal and treasonable activities in this region, because development and other forms of engagements with Niger Delta interest groups are ongoing and require peace for their sustainability,” he declared.


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/11/army-militants-in-fresh-war/

Militants are fighting back. This is crazy!

The battle has begun.
Welcome back military rule.

What exactly are they fighting for?

I heard there were a lot of casualties on both sides.

I hope the conflict doesn't spread.

It only takes one ember to ignite oil and this ember can engulf the entire region.

Don't people see the irony. A native son is telling the army to attack his brethren.

It can only get worst for it to get better.

Its time to fight the war that will end all wars.

But this crisis needs a President who is a Natural spin doctor; who while executing this war would have also gotten the Nation to coalesce around a common agenda and hence get the NASS to make any necessary changes in our laws.


To me giving miltants amnesty and now crushing them is papering around the edges. While I back the military action, a simultaneous action that needs to be going on concurently are efforts towards devolution of power from the centre to the regions.

We must not wait when we restructure Nigeria entirely, we can start devolving economic powers and decentralising the Police.

If IBB can have the audacity to promise devolution of power before an election then it simply means public opinion can shift towards this agenda and it is possible to form a concensus around this agenda. Why can't Jonathan Goodluck also pursue this kind of agenda?

Everything must not be achieved in one day at a Sovereign National Conference. We can start from somewhere. Unfortunately Jonathan is not making these arguments. He is not even making any argument whatsoever.

Hrm.

I had said it that the amnesty is a tactical end of militancy in the ND region. As far as the FG is concerned, militant activities has ceased in the region and those who brandish weapons will be regarded as criminals.

[b]If IBBY can have the audacity to promise devolution of power before an election then it simply means public opinion can shift towards this agenda and it is possible to form a concensus around this agenda. Why can't Jonathan Goodluck also pursue this kind of agenda?[/b]Everything must not be achieved in one day at a Sovereign National Conference. We can start from somewhere. Unfortunately Jonathan is not making these arguments. He is not even making any argument whatsoever.

Exactly my Question to all these ND on NIL licking GE a$$. Tell me why the Militant wont resume fight to sabotage his presidency? They argued that the Militants are not more of ND than GEJ.
If IBB and outsider could promise us part what we have been fighting for years even before election, why couldn't GEJ summon the courage to pursue this kind of agenda.

dappssee:

I had said it that the amnesty is a tactical end of militancy in the ND region. As far as the FG is concerned, militant activities has ceased in the region and those who brandish weapons will be regarded as criminals.

After the Amnesty program is over then what happens to the ex-militants?

dappssee:

I had said it that the amnesty is a tactical end of militancy in the ND region. As far as the FG is concerned, militant activities has ceased in the region and those who brandish weapons will be regarded as criminals.

Lol. A child is crying for wht belongs to him and you give him Akara to stop him from crying, after eating the Akara he will still look up to get back what belong to him. The fight has just begun

. . . . . . . .so some people can still take IBB to keep his words, of course the man will say anything to try to get sympathy from people who believes in such idea.

But IBB as a president will NEVER agree to call for devolution of power or an SNG.

No retreat,no surrender,beaf told us b/4 dat dis jtf is ineffective,luk at the casuaties on their side,waite!hw much fg promise this guys?can somebody remide me

The problem with Nigeria is that the federal government does not learn from the past.  They simply wish all troubles will just go away with time, which unfortunately is far from reality.

Any serious government should have raised a covert investigation to find out the sponsors of the Niger Delta nefarious schemes . Someone is sure paying to stock up an arsenal for these gangs, the question is who is this person?  . . . . . How and through which bank do they transfer money from sponsors to buyers to suppliers, etc? I expect that all these should have been well investigated

The government should  also have raised an intelligence unit in Niger Delta regions, during the peaceful periods, whose objective would have been to submit a weekly report on concealed  militant activities. 
Given the vast technology available in this age including telephone tapping, camera bugs, GPS tracking etc, no serious government should have an excuse for not "staying ahead of its game".

Surprising is this not the Al jazeera sponsored film actors of nollywood shooting live with JTF
I mean those people shot are not really injured just some make up to give good effects you know!

I hope the goons telling us they don't exist and that the north is sponsoring Al jazeera to show false camps with non existant militants would take a deep look and think, !can you hear that little faint sound saying, i can lie to tarnish the North and will do anything to lie if it is the north.Okay now say it let me hear you.
Shame will destroy you and the propaganda you try to sell to people who know nothing,against the North

Nice move GEJ.i believe you are not weak as they said now.anyway please make it snappy because after you leave if any other tribe try am it will sound and look somehow this ND people.With GEJ doing this it would rule out tribalism or some conspiracy theories typical of SS.
Lastly i hope GEJ & CDS also have backup plan in case militants decide to attack you in the towns and cities.Because after you drive them from creeks make them no come bomb places inside town and Abuja again o! You see if you smoke them out, they will look for soft targets and i know our security is lacking in terms of policing the population well.

LONG LIVE THE JTF
LONG LIVE NIGERIAN ARMY
LONG LIVE CDS
LONG/SHORT LIVE GEJ (which ever one you choose)
LONG/SHORT LIVE NIGERIA (which ever one you choose)

violent:


The government should  also have raised an intelligence unit in Niger Delta regions, during the peaceful periods, whose objective would have been to submit a weekly report on concealed  militant activities. 
Given the vast technology available in this age including telephone tapping, camera bugs, GPS tracking etc, no serious government should have an excuse for not "staying ahead of its game".

this is true. the most likely scenario is that the government is turning a blind eye to the financiers.

'General' John Togo is a well known armed robber and political thug in the Warri area. He will soon be fcking dead meat.
The operations of JTF are completely different now, because they are fighting in full cooperation with ex-MEND commanders (who are the only true fighters with the ND in mind). It is the ex-MEND commanders that are giving JTF the edge this time around, that and the full support of ND people. We don't want paid up political thugs in our midst.

I laugh at the brand new sponsored MEND! What a fcking short life span!

TORDOO:

No retreat,no surrender,beaf told us b/4 dat dis jtf is ineffective,luk at the casuaties on their side,waite!hw much fg promise this guys?can somebody remide me

You are damn funny, laughing at your own ignorance! Some of those JTF boys can't even swim!

Dude, keep up with the news; JTF's new weapon is the true Niger Delta militants who know the tuff very well, people like Tompolo. They gave up their arms in the amnesty and are now helping the JTF root out the fake MEND that sets bombs in places like Zamfara and Abuja and are paid by politicians to create instability.

ND people too, don't give a damn about these new paid up monsters and will never offer them support, food and backing like they did with MEND, instead we'll be reporting their sorry arses to govt wherever they are spotted.

What exactly makes one a [i]fake [/i]militant (i.e common criminal, as they say) and the other one a true militant? After all they utilize the same tactics: kidnapping, oil bunkering, the proceeds of which are used to procure arms, extortion, blowing up pipelines, etc. .

If these so called fake militants are asking for an audience with FG, it only fair that the latter hears them out:

“Now that they have attacked us, they should be prepared for the real war, we are ready for them. We are not against the government of President Goodluck Jonathan, all we are saying is that they should call a conference of all ex-militants to know how the amnesty programme is going and take necessary steps to correct the deficiencies,” he said.

Beaf:

JTF's new weapon is the true Niger Delta militants who know the tuff very well, people like Tompolo. They gave up their arms in the amnesty and are now helping the JTF root out the fake MEND

I don't get your parameter for determining who is real and who is fake.I think an all inclusive crushing is the solution.The only alternative is an all inclusive amnesty.

Giving amnesty to Peter because he is your political associate and giving him weapons and soldiers to fight Paul will always backfire.

Mai Suya:

What exactly makes one a [i]fake [/i]militant (i.e common criminal, as they say) and the other one a true militant? After all they utilize the same tactics: kidnapping, oil bunkering, the proceeds of which are used to procure arms, extortion, blowing up pipelines, etc. .

If these so called fake militants are asking for an audience with FG, it only fair that the latter hears them out:

Fake militants are politically sponsored to create mayhem and instability. They and their masters are criminals who are hiding under the Niger Delta struggle to forward their dark political agenda's. Odili started the trick, but others have since learnt to play it.

Is it a coincidence that a campaign headquarters burnt down yesterday, just as the hostages were being freed?

Beaf:

Fake militants are politically sponsored to create mayhem and instability. They and their masters are criminals who are hiding under the Niger Delta struggle to forward their dark political agenda's. Odili started the trick, but others have since learnt to play it.

Is it a coincidence that a campaign headquarters burnt down yesterday, just as the hostages were being freed?

Why mention name without evidence or do you have any?

This whole narrative about fake and real MEND is the most ridiculous attempt at spin you will see anywhere in the world.
It is childish and makes no sense whatsoever, because just like John Togo is being called a known Thief, lets hear the previous history of Tompolo and other ex-MEND fighters in Delta lets see if their story is far off from John Togo's story.

You see nobody expects anybody to have a magic wand to the solve the crisis in Niger-Delta. It does not matter whether Jonathan is from Bayelsa, the criminality or corruption that goes on in the oil business and the eventual break down of society that has occured will simply not disappear because a man from Otueke is now President. The attempt by the Presidency to suggest that militancy will simply fizzle out because Jonathan is now President was simply short sighted, naive and bone headed.

The behaviour of criminals and thugs are as unpredictable as the gyrations in the stock market and it is unfortunate that Jonathan thought he can stake his Presidency on militants keeping quiet because one of their own is now President.

What is needed is a recognition of a serious issue, approached with humility and the seriousness it deserves.

There is no real nor fake MEND. There is  MEND and so long as Militancy in Niger-Delta continues they can continue to adopt the name MEND if they wish for media purposes. MEND never had a definite command structure, it was simply a unified propaganda machine and an umbrella name for all militant activies in the Niger-Delta. While Tompolo, Boyloaf, Ateke, etc may have embraced amnesty because they have recieved their own largesse, their juniour fighters or other MEND commanders who have not recieved their own share of the largesse have continued to fight.

Such is the deficiency in the Government Amnesty Programme. It was never going to be sustainable.

But what we must give the FG credit for is what seems to be a perfect exploitation of an inadvertent situation which means that the amnesty programme as inefficient as it is seems to have turned out to be a greek gift.
Because after the amnesty well publicised around the world the FG expects no militancy activity in the Niger-Delta and anybody engaged in such can now be tackled as a criminal.

I also think it is a good idea that the Army are exploiting intelligence from some ex-Militants to fight this course. There is nothing wrong with that.
But let nobody elevate those ex-militants willing to play ball at the moment into some kind of National Heroes because they are not Heroes but repentant criminals who were simply bought over.

This is no time to massage unnecessary ego.

Another BIAFRA around the corner 

Discovery of Oil is a curse and not a blessing to Nigeria 

With Nissan announcing plans to mass produce electric cars

The future of Oil business is in soup

If Nigeria know what we are doing we will immediately make the most of oil now.

This fortune will not last forever, Oil will either dry up in Nigeria or soon made irrelevant on world stage.

I do not support criminality and I also do not support a war in my backyard. This whole action is insincere.
There is insecurity in the north with boko haram killing people at will.

Why do we not have a permanent task force to hunt them down?

The reason is that there is oil in the creeks.

SapeleGuy:

I do not support criminality and I also do not support a war in my backyard. This whole action is insincere.
There is insecurity in the north with boko haram killing people at will.

Why do we not have a permanent task force to hunt them down?

The reason is that there is oil in the creeks.

I thought that the JTF was up North as well . In fact, I read an artilce on allafrica.com that said that although the JTF had practically locked down both Bauchi and nother state (really can't remember now) Boko Haram members had made their way into Plateau state.
I'm thinking its just that news spreads more slowly up North.

MShittu:

I thought that the JTF was up North as well . In fact, I read an artilce on allafrica.com that said that although the JTF had practically locked down both Bauchi and nother state (really can't remember now) Boko Haram members had made their way into Plateau state.
I'm thinking its just that news spreads more slowly up North.

thats true

The Army are also sorting Boko Haram out.

The troops in the north are not enough.

How can we fight elections if we are fighting war?
Will there be peace in time for free and fair elections to hold in Delta State?

You can't fight free and fair elections either when there are loads of stray arms flowing round unrecognised militia.

FG needs a wholistic programme to sieze all loose light guns.