We ‘ll Hold Community Leaders Responsible-Army

THE Commander, Operation PULO SHIELD, Major-General Alani Gafar Okunlola, has said that community leaders would be held responsible for any act of sabotage perpetrated against the oil and gas facilities in their domain, vowing to fish out those responsible for attacks on oil facilities in some parts of the Niger Delta.
Speaking to journalists at the site of the Nigerian Gas Pipeline in Egwa 1Community, Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State, allegedly blown up by militants in the Niger Delta, Major-General Okunlola, described the act as not only a massive sabotage, but criminal, capable of undermining national security.
He said that there is no way the Joint Task Force will fold its hands and allow the perpetrators to get away with it, calling on government and community leaders to give Operation Pulo Shield and other security agencies working in the Niger Delta useful information that will lead to the arrest of the perpetrators for prosecution.
The commander assured Niger Delta residents of Operation Pulo Shield’s determination to wipe out all acts of illegalities in the region and also called on them to give useful information that will aid the Joint Force in its operations, in line with its mandate in the Niger Delta.
He warned the perpetrators of the crime to desist from further destruction of oil facilities or be ready to face the consequences; assuring the good people of the region that the Joint Force is closing up on the criminals that perpetrated the act, and will soon bring them to book.
Fielding questions from newsmen at the end of the visit to the site, Major-General Okunlola said the attack was made possible because there were no military presence in the area.
He stated that there will be intensified patrol of the area to forestall future occurence, noting that those who perpetrated the act will be apprehended and made to face the full wrath of the law.
Meanwhile the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Worldwide has condemned the attack on oil facilities in some parts of oil-rich Delta State.
IYC stated that people who are residents of the communities where oil facilities were attacked would be the eventual victims of the attacks; and ultimately the already degraded Niger Delta ecosystem, and called for cessation of attacks from whoever is responsible.
In a press statement signed by the IYC Spokesman, Barrister Eric Omare and made available to our Correspondent, the IYC also condemned the invasion of Ikpokpo, Saghara, Opuedebubo, Okpeleama and Tebujo, all Ijaw communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom of Delta State.
According to the statement; “People suffered different degrees of injury and wanton destruction of properties. The Ijaw people are not at war with the federal government. We call on the military to exercise restraint in their actions. There is no basis to attack innocent villagers; especially when the Chief of Naval Staff has stated that the attacks were carried out by saboteurs, and that the security agencies were on top of the situation.”
The IYC warned against further attacks on innocent Ijaw people and communities, saying residents of communities close to where oil facilities are situated should not be made to suffer for attacks they know nothing about and advised community leaders to refrain from fanning the embers of inter-ethnic crisis in Delta State.
“We frown at statements alluding to the possibility of an Ijaw and Itsekiri crisis as a result of the attacks on oil facilities. While we strongly condemn the attacks on oil facilities, there is no basis for anybody to try to instigate a tribal war as a result,” the IYC said.
The council added; “Politicians and community leaders should stop promoting inter-ethnic crisis because of political interest at the expense of the poor and innocent people who would suffer the effect of such crisis while they enjoy in the cities with their families.”