Insecurity in Niger Delta: Should Militants confront Criminals?
THE VANGUARD
LATELY, there have been undercurrents from a number of persons who feel Niger Delta militants have turned empty barrels, issuing threats all the time to blow up oil facilities while kidnappers, armed robbers and other criminals run riot in parts of the oil region.
Residents resentful of those they call “internet” militants, “laptop” and “newspaper” militants, who they accused of looking for settlement, dared them to confront the criminals terrorizing the people or stop disturbing their peace with endless sound of threats.
Not many, however, think the challenge on militants to take on criminals was warranted though they agree that some agitators have derailed.
No legal basis for militants to combat kidnappers and other criminals – Brigadier- Gen Ikponmwen (retd.)
Notable South-South leader and former Provost Marshal, Nigerian Army, Brigadier-General Idada Ikponmwen (retd.), who opposed the call, said there was no legal basis for Niger-Delta militants to engage people suspected to be carrying out kidnapping and other criminal activities in the region. His words: “There must be a legal basis for every action of any group or people, I have said it on more occasions than one that we do not have a proper constitution in this country, our constitution is faulty in so many ways.
The constitution says that there shall be no other police force save the one we call federal police, so all these Amotekun, militancy, civilian JTF and others, they cannot work because there is no legal status for them.”
“If we want to solve this problem of insecurity, we must solve it in totality, we must look at the cause of insecurity because there is no one solution to insecurity problem in this country.
Militants not empty barrels —Ekpoudom, ex-DIG
Retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG, Udom Ekpoudom, informed one of our reporters at Uyo, Akwa Ibom state, that there was nothing wrong with agitation of the Niger Delta militants against marginalization and policies that do not favour the Niger Delta, adding that it was also wrong to see them as empty barrels just because they chose to concentrate their agitation to issues that affect the Niger Delta most.
“There is no part of this country that is not marginalized and neglected, I will advise governors of the Niger Delta states to set up sub-security department that will ensure the security of the area,” he said.