GROUP FAULTS JTF ON OGONI ATTACK

THE claim by the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) in Rivers State that their operatives were not involved in the alleged Tuesday attack in an Ogoni community which claimed two lives, has been faulted by a civil society group.

JTF Spokesman, Lt.-Col Sagir Musa told our correspondent while commenting on the alleged incident: ''In line with the transformation process going on in the Nigerian Armed Forces, no operation would be conducted without the knowledge and explicit approval of the appropriate superior authority''.

Continuing, Lt.-Col. Musa said, ''i checked and re-checked at the JTF headquarters and all the sectors particularly Sector 2, where the incident was alleged to have taken place, nothing like that ever happened. As to parading suspects, nobody in JTF settimng has the mandate to do so except the Office of the Spokesman. I'm sure that did not happen and will never happen''.

But in an on-line statement to our correspondent yesterday, the Co-ordinator of Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN), Gaia Sprocati, said a range of their grassroots sources in the Niger Delta have been reporting about increasing levels of arbitrary arrest, shootings and killings by members of the security forces.

''There has been a marked increase in civilians injured in raids by the JTF. Specific testimony has been made repeatedly to human rights groups of teenagers and adults being taken in apparently random arrests by security forces from their houses with no other apparent motive than to create the illusion of a clamp down and extorting funds'', the group said.

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According to them, ''at the time of the expanded deployment of the JTF to Rivers State in 2007 there was concern that the military, with its record for human rights abuses, would further polarise the situation. For some time the JTF clearly responded to pressure and leadership that enforced significantly improved behaviour than had been seen in the past. However, present reports suggest that resentment of security forces is now growing rapidly. There is an urgent need for the JTF and the Federal Government to bring far greater discipline and integrity to security operations. International actors should bring this to the attention of the Federal Government as a matter of urgency''.

Continuing, the group said after the abrupt cessation of raids on oil installations in September when the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) declared a 'ceasefire' attention drifted away from the Niger Delta amidst claims of successes and an improved environment by Nigerian security forces.

''The month of October for instance, emphasised the confused situation – a ceasefire accompanied by sporadic kidnappings and continuing raids by the Nigerian security services.The 'improved' environment only emphasised the level of violence which is now accepted as routine in the Niger Delta – in October at least 16 expatriates were kidnapped as attacks on shipping increased. There are indications that robberies and kidnappings of Nigerian oil workers and their families are under-reported, with some companies severely affected by the daily threat of violence''.

The majority of violence, they went on, ''has occurred in Rivers state, but incidents in the neighbouring state of Akwa Ibom emphasise the potential that remains for insecurity to broaden further. In October the relatives of several politicians were kidnapped, as was an expatriate employee of leading road construction company, Julius Berger. These incidents emphasise the lucrative nature of violence at a time when analysts are already describing an 'economy of conflict'.

''There is a significant risk that the potential for further conflict in the oil region could be under-estimated by government and various other stakeholders. Essentially a more peaceful environment is being purchased in cash by state governments and oil companies in Delta and Bayelsa States.

''At best, this is a temporary measure bringing some much needed stability, but the potential for very large scale violence will remain and even grow until fundamental issues are addressed. In Rivers State the apparent advances by security forces against armed groups such as that of Ateke Tom must not be overestimated – it was only in September that armed groups demonstrated their ability to regroup and immediately mount systematic daily attacks. This threat is still very high because the underlying issues are yet to be addressed seriously''.  

Nyo-be Beeri, an Ogoni community in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers state was allegedly raided by troops suspected to be operatives of JTF. Two persons were allegedly shot dead in the raid and their corpses taken away. Community Leader Mr. Felix Deezia, said the attack started at around 3.00 a.m on Tuesday. Over 5,000 people according to the community leader are either taking refuge in nearby villages or in the bush.

The JTF spokesman however, stoutly denied the involvement in the attack.