Against the views of the coastal community dwellers in the Niger Delta that the military presence in the region is to intimidate the people, the Commander of Operation Delta Safe, Rear Admiral Apochi Suleman, has said that the presence of the military in the region is not to intimidate the people but to ensure peace, security and protect the oil facilities in the volatile region.
Suleman said rather than the people seeing them as threats to their existence, they should see them as people who are in the region to protect them, hence they should collaborate with them to make the region safe for all dwellers.
Executive members of Ijaw Youth council and the army in a group photograph after the familiarisation at the headquarters of Operation Delta Safe in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state
He spoke when the newly elected president of the Ijaw Youth Council, Eric Omare, and his executive members visited the headquarters of Operation Delta Safe in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state to discuss on ways to maintain peace, unity and bring about development in Niger Delta.
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Suleman told the youth leaders that the military in the region has been monitoring the activities of youths in the region including the elections that brought in the new executive of the Ijaw Youth council.
He told the youths that his men are not in partnership with any oil firm but their objective is to discourage illegal activities in the region.
“I want to urge you to separate militancy from criminality, we are not in partnership with any oil company, rather, we are here to discourage illegal shutting down, attack on facilities and other related criminal activities in the region,” Suleiman said.
On collaboration with the IYC for better operations, Rear Admiral Suleiman assures the Omare led executives of a good working relationship in accordance with the law.
The IYC President, Eric Omare, exchanging pleasantries with Apochi Suleman at the Operation Delta Safe headqarters in Yenagoa
Eric Omare had earlier expressed gratitude to the Joint Task Force on its operation to ensuring security in the Ijaw nation and its area of jurisdiction.
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Omare also made case for the detained Ijaw youths who have been in detention without trial, requesting their immediate release having not established any illegality against them.
“ Only last week, I helped to secure the bail of some of our members in Delta state and am convinced that their release was made easy with the intervention of the Commander of Operation Delta safe, for that he deserves our appreciation,” Omare added.
On security, Omare assured that the already working relationship between the Operation Delta safe and the youths will be strengthened, urging the JTF to reciprocate the gesture to reassure the region of the federal government sincerity towards the ongoing dialogue.
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