Army says militants not yet ready for peace talks

The Nigerian Army has said it will continue to use force on the militant group,

Speaking on Tuesday, May 31, 2016 at the ‘State of the Nation Conference’, organised by the Nigerian Bar Association, Brig.Gen. J. Hamakim, who represented Chief of Army Staff, Lt.Gen. Tukur Buratai, stressed that talks with the militant could not be seen as an option following unrelenting attacks on oil installations and weakening of crude production in the Niger Delta.

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Justifying its ongoing operations in Gbaramatu, Delta State, the army boss said, "I quite agree that dialogue is very important. But where it is not too obvious that the adversary is ready to come out and talk, you can also force such a person."

Speaking further, Hamakim said, 'I think that is what the Nigerian Army is trying to do. Yes, we don’t know the group’s leader, for now; that is the only option, possibly we have to bring the people out to know who you can talk with.'

He said the activities of the group had cut the nation’s oil production to 1.1 million out of 2.2 million barrels per day.

Also in attendance at the conference were representatives of heads of anti-corruption and security agencies, including the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase; Controller General of Prisons, Ahmed Ja’afaru; and Director-General of the Department of State Services, Lawal Daura.

Also present at the occasion were the NBA President, Mr. Augustine Alegeh; Chief Judge of Kogi State, Nasiru Ajanah; Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Anti-Corruption, Mr. Babajide Akinloye; two contenders for the office of the NBA presidency, Messrs Abubakar Mahmud and Joe Kyari-Gadzama and Linda Ikpeazu, who represented the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara as the chairman.

Before leaving the podium, where he had spoken on behalf of the Nigerian Army, Hamakim debunked the allegation that soldiers who were involved in the operations in Gbaramatu were killing innocent residents and raping women.