‘We Support Defence Chief Stance on Violent Agitation in Niger Delta’

Concerned Professionals’ Congress (CPC) has expressed support to last week’s declaration by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin, that the Nigerian armed forces should strictly checkmate new threats of hostilities and violent agitations against the country by the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA).

A statement jointly issued yesterday by the Chief Media Strategist, Mr. Emeka Nwankpa, and the South-south Regional Rapporteur, Desmond Odiwrri, said the warning by the defence was timely.

It also stated that the military has the requisite mandate, competence and professionalism to protect the overriding socioeconomic interests of law-abiding citizens of the country, urging the NDA to tread cautiously by following constitutional in pursuing its mission.

CPC further stated that Olonisakin, who was at the Nigerian Navy Ship ( NNS) Warri, Delta State in recently to inaugurate 20 new horsepower gunboats, lamented the continued threat posed to the nation’s maritime interests by criminal elements.

It explained that the Defence Chief condemned the new threat of violence by NDA and gave assurance that the military under his watch would checkmate such threats decisively.

The group urged traditional rulers, community leaders, elders, youths, students, clergy, professional associations and the elders’ councils in the Niger Delta to prevail on the faceless militant organisation to stop them from issuing such threats that could bring untold hardship to the people of the region.

It added: “The youths of the region should expose the masterminds of past pipelines bombings, this will prevent further moves to use the region to vandalize strategic national assets which will cause more hardship for the people of the region. “