The Defence authorities on Monday said that the military was after the members of the Niger Delta Avengers, who claimed responsibility for the attacks on oil facilities, and their sponsors, Punch reports.
The Acting Director, Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Rabe Abubakar, told a correspondent on the telephone on Monday that the military was not particularly concerned about the former leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo.
He said that the military could only be concerned about Tomopolo, if he was found to be part of the group. He said that the military was making elaborate measures designed to ensure that the members of the group and their sponsors were arrested.
He stated also that the military was not aware of the claim by another militant group, the Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force, that Tompolo had escaped from the country to Libya.
He said, “We are not aware of that, I actually don’t know. We are not particularly concerned about Tompolo.
“The people we are after are those perpetrators and their sponsors. We are not after Tomopolo himself; we are after the perpetrators and their sponsors. And if he is one of them, well, but we are not particular about him.
“We are after the Avengers and their sponsors. And all the measures that we are putting in place are geared towards apprehending the perpetrators, whoever they think they are. And we will not rest till we get that done.
“We are not particular about anybody. We are after the group that has been attacking oil facilities. We will be completely resolute. We will be systematic in doing that.”
The acting Defence spokesman, who also spoke on the threat by the militant group to bomb strategic places in the country, stated that the military would not join issues with them.
He said that the military had always taken proactive measures and would not be concerned with statements being made by the groups. He stressed that the military would be systematic and professional in all its actions in the operation.
“We don’t like to join issues with them. No. We have been taking proactive measures and we will continue to do that,” Abubakar said
The Acting Director, Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Rabe Abubakar, told a correspondent on the telephone on Monday that the military was not particularly concerned about the former leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo.
He said that the military could only be concerned about Tomopolo, if he was found to be part of the group. He said that the military was making elaborate measures designed to ensure that the members of the group and their sponsors were arrested.
He stated also that the military was not aware of the claim by another militant group, the Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force, that Tompolo had escaped from the country to Libya.
He said, “We are not aware of that, I actually don’t know. We are not particularly concerned about Tompolo.
“The people we are after are those perpetrators and their sponsors. We are not after Tomopolo himself; we are after the perpetrators and their sponsors. And if he is one of them, well, but we are not particular about him.
“We are after the Avengers and their sponsors. And all the measures that we are putting in place are geared towards apprehending the perpetrators, whoever they think they are. And we will not rest till we get that done.
“We are not particular about anybody. We are after the group that has been attacking oil facilities. We will be completely resolute. We will be systematic in doing that.”
The acting Defence spokesman, who also spoke on the threat by the militant group to bomb strategic places in the country, stated that the military would not join issues with them.
He said that the military had always taken proactive measures and would not be concerned with statements being made by the groups. He stressed that the military would be systematic and professional in all its actions in the operation.
“We don’t like to join issues with them. No. We have been taking proactive measures and we will continue to do that,” Abubakar said
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