The Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, on Friday, warned oil thieves and other criminals in the Niger Delta region to refrain from testing the will of the Armed Forces. Badeh, who spoke at the inauguration of permanent site of the Headquarters of Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta in Igbogene, Yenagoa, said otherwise they would face unpleasant consequences. He noted that the military was now better positioned to protect the region. Badeh said that the armed forces had a long history in the region and urged the people to shun oil theft and illegal refining of petroleum products and other criminal activities. He noted that the Navy had recently acquired weapons to patrol and secure the territorial waters, adding that the JTF had also received additional equipment for land and waterways patrols. “We have been here before, we all resolved to cease hostilities, and we have a long history in the Niger Delta, from Operation Flush, to Operation Restore Hope and in 2010 to Operation Pulo Shield. “We thought that criminality in the Niger Delta was on the decline but it is on the rise again. “We are after the bad people and we need the good people to support us and we will provide a safe environment for development,” Badeh said. Earlier, the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa, retired Rear Admiral John Jonah, commended the sacrifices of various security agencies in sustaining the existing peace in the state. He also lauded the leadership of the JTF for initiating the idea for construction of a facility for military operations. In his remarks, Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Atewe, Commander of the JTF, said that he embarked on the project for a permanent office and residential accommodation for officers and men to save cost of rent. He said that the JTF had spent over N100 million annually on rented offices and accommodation for its operations. Atewe said that the JTF sought the support of Bayelsa Government and other security agencies to actualise the completion of the first phase of the project. He said that the facility was built on 20 hectares of land with several buildings for office and residential purposes, medical and fitness centre, and Officers’ Mess, amongst others. Badeh, however, inaugurated the first phase of the office accommodation to serve as Headquarters of the JTF. He also unveiled the Pulo Shield Magazine which is aimed at showcasing the activities of the task force. (NAN)
