President goes tougher on Niger Delta vandals

President Muhammadu Buhari is bent on crushing Niger Delta vandals that are currently been spearheaded by a new militant group identified as the Niger Delta Avengers.

According to a report by Punch Newspaper, the renewed order was given to the military to nip the activities of the 'economic terrorists' in the bud before escalating.

It was further reported that the renewed order is coming following the group’s attack on Chevron’s platform in Warri, Delta State, on Thursday, May 5, 2016 and its blowing up of pipelines linking Warri and Kaduna refineries on Friday, May 6, 2016.

“The President gave special instruction to the military, especially to the Chief of Naval Staff, that this ugly development of vandals in the Niger Delta should end immediately,” a presidential aide reportedly divulged.

The Acting Director, Defence Information, Brig. -Gen. Rabe Abubakar, was also reported to have confirmed the renewed directive to battle the vandals.

In his words, “We have the order from the President and we are monitoring the activities of the new group.  All efforts will be made to bring out those behind it.

'The suspects who perpetrated the first vandalism were apprehended and paraded the day before yesterday (Thursday).

'These ones are not going to be different. We are going out on our operation to stop and apprehend them in accordance with the presidential directive,' he said.

Continuing, Abubakar said, 'We are not deterred; nobody is happy about it but we are not deterred from doing what we are doing. And more proactive measures would be put in place.

'What they are doing is complete economic sabotage; it is economic terrorism,' he said.

Workers at Escravos reportedly confirmed that following the attacks, they counted about 10 military air patrols over the pipelines on Saturday, May 7, 2016.

The renewed order to crush pipeline vandals is coming weeks after the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo had said the current administration has zero tolerance for vandals as they can be likened to terrorists.

Pulse