We watched in amusement the military Joint Task Force press conference where they
claimed military successes and capture of weapons in a bid to hoodwink the media.
Except for those who wish to be deceived, the fact is that none of the weapons
displayed were recovered from our camps as claimed. Our standard issue is the AK47
Assault Rifle and none was displayed. Instead rusty Dane guns used by hunters and
old machetes and other weapons taken from God knows where were displayed.
The army is so eager to cover its shame that they invited the governor for the
fraudulent exposition when the first places he ought to visit are the various
displaced civilians who are suffering terribly.
We wish to state again that the military operation was a dismal failure. Not one
single militant was captured in spite of the blockade of exit routes and not one
single weapon was left during our tactical withdrawal from the transit camps.
The frustration of meeting an abandoned camp led to the wild, abnormal and
indiscriminate attacks on the civilians in the communities.
The JTF who insisted after the Wednesday,13th of May confrontation that no soldier
was killed except two injured seems to be singing a new tune about officers and men
missing in action.
Eleven more soldiers were ambushed and killed last night at Oporoza by a small
commando unit. This operation will be a daily occurrence in the entire region.
The three surviving Filipino hostages will be released and abandoned within the next
few days.
The comments by a member of the House of Representatives, one Mohamed Ibn N'Allah
from Kebbi, a state that does not contribute anything to Nigeria's economy is very
unfortunate. He has displayed complete ignorance of the Niger Delta issue and even
though he says he was only joking, his remarks suggesting annihilating 20million
Niger Delta women, children and the elderly for their oil has further strengthened
our resolve to continue the fight.
We understand that sheer frustration is driving soldiers to harass men in the town
of Warri and innocent youths are being arrested because they suspect them to look
like militants. We wonder how militants are identified by the military.
Nigeria will know no peace until justice returns to the Niger Delta.
Jomo Gbomo
