Niger Delta Avengers: FG failed to act on Intelligence-Commander Bibi

By Onitsha Shedrack,

The Commandant General of Riverine Security (Coast Guard of the Federation) , commander Bibi Oduku, has described the recent attack on oil and gas installations by a new militant group , the Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, which is crippling the country’s oil production as a failure to act on intelligence by agencies of the Federal government.

Commander Bibi in a press statement, stated that prior to the recent bombings carried out by the Niger Delta Avengers, Riverine Security, a security outfit have through their officers stationed in different creeks in the Niger Delta region, and with the aid of the Geographical Information System; launched last year gathered intelligence that new militant groups were sprouting up in the region and were planning to launch attacks on oil facilities, but sadly , the government agencies failed to act on the intelligence provided to them.

According to Commander Bibi, “I want to believe that those working with Mr. President from the Niger Delta area are not properly briefing the President on the true situation, if not, this current situation will have been nipped in the bud, and the bombing and the economic loss will not have occurred.

“Those in authority cannot deny the fact that Riverine Security (Coast Guard of the Federation), has the capacity; if properly mobilized to protect all oil and gas installations in the Niger Delta, because it has recruited over 20000 young men and women, former agitators who had been rehabilitated and are willing to contribute their own quota to the development of the Niger Delta and Nigeria.

“We want to assure Nigerians that if the government is willing to end this criminal attack on our collective commonwealth, we are ready to lay down our lives to protect the economic mainstay of our nation.

“We cannot continue to patronize criminals and abandon those who are willing to contribute to our national growth.

“We therefore, urge the President not to be blackmailed into negotiating with criminals, because tomorrow they will assume new faces and start bombing again. Yesterday, it was MEND, today it is Niger Delta Avengers, this is politics and Mr. President should know this,” he added.