The Joint Military Task Force (JTF) has warned the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) over its plans to attack interests in the downstream petroleum sector. According to the JTF, the threatened attack which MEND said would be launched because of the continued trial of those held in connection with the Independence Day bomb explosion in Abuja, would only intensify the underdevelopment ravaging the Niger Delta region.
The JTF, in a statement signed by its Media Coordinator, Lt. Col. Timothy Antigha said it was unfortunate that MEND would think of destroying innocent lives because some of their members were held for terrorism acts.
It noted that it was worrisome that at a time Nigeria was making progress in its politics, MEND was thinking of destroying lives, adding that the militant group had demonstrated with its latest threat that it was not only an enemy of the Federal Government but of the Nigeria people.
JTF had therefore called on all companies operating in the downstream sector to increased surveillance and report any suspicious movement to security agencies.
The statement reads in part: “The Joint Task Force (OPERATION RESTORE HOPE) has observed with concern the recent threat of attack on the downstream sector of the nation’s petroleum industry by the so-called Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), and advises the terrorist organization to have a re-think, as killing innocent people and destroying their means of livelihood, as they have done in the past, will not advance their negative, retrogressive and criminal disposition. Rather, it will aggravate the lack of development of the Niger Delta region, which they claim to fight against.
“At a time that the nation is making progress in its politics, it is rather unfortunate that some people should contemplate threatening peoples’ lives. In the light of this situation, the JTF wishes to advise corporate organizations involved in the downstream sector to increase surveillance of their infrastructure and fleets, vet their personnel properly, increase access control and report any suspicious person to the appropriate security agencies.
“Consequently, the JTF advises civil society groups and the generality of Nigerians to join the JTF in condemning the evil that MEND represents, instead of waiting and becoming active only when security agencies take action to preserve national interests, the society, law and order.”
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