Multiple militant groups in the Niger Delta overwhelms the Army. The should have a "common Front" and face us - Buratai laments

The multiplicity of the militant groups in the Niger Delta overwhelms the Army. The should unify and face us - Buratai

Tukur Buratai, Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai has asked militants in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria to unite and fight the soldiers. While describing the recent launch of Operation Crocodile Tears by militants in the Niger Delta as a reflection of their terrorist nature of the militants, Buratai Buratai begged the militants to unite and have a common front.



 “There are several factions of the militants. They need to unite, have a common front if they are serious." He stated that the concern of the army was to wipe out any iota of threat against the nation. "At the level of the army, we are doing our duties, we must make sure the threat to our national security is removed"

Stating whereas the Nigerian Army tagged the military operation, “Crocodile Smile,” in order to make Nigerians [Northern Oligarchy controlling the crude oil resources perhaps] smile and happy, the militants chose Operation Crocodile Tears to make the people exploiting the oil to cry. “That is what they are  terrorists, they want people to be in tears. We (military) want people to smile. They are just terrorising us,” he said. 

He queried why they militants wish to dialogue with the Nigerian government, because there was an existing Amnesty Programme.

"There is an existing peace arrangement that is ongoing which is the amnesty programme, so which dialogue do they want again?” He argued that dialogue belongs to politicians and not militants.   “Dialogue is an issue that can be handled at the political level,” he said. 

He dismissed as untrue allegations in some quarter that the military was invading communities in the region with its Operation crocodile smile, stressing that communities were happy with the exercise. According to him, the army was also doing free medical programme in communities in the region, a thing he said the people were happy with. “How can people grumble when we have medical outreach in their communities, there is no way they can grumble. We are having medical outreach in communities, we are supporting the communities they are happy,” he noted. Buratai later went into a close door meeting with key stakeholders from the oil sector in the state at the 2 Brigade on how best to end challenges of oil theft and other related issues in the region.