No White Flag: No Peace Talks With Niger Delta Avengers – Army

No White Flag: No Peace Talks With Niger Delta Avengers – Army

The Nigerian Army has ruled out any chance of peace talks between it and the new militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers, which has claimed responsibility for a series of bombings of oil facilities in the region.

While justifying its operations in Gbaramatu, Delta State, the army said the use of force is the only option left at this moment and that it will not stop until the leaders of the group are arrested and brought to justice, the Punch reports

“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.

“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 from 2.2 million barrels per day.

He denied that soldiers deployed to Gbaramatu were killing innocent residents and raping women.

“We have done our investigation and nothing like that is happening,” he said.