Nigeria to deal with challenges in oil rich Niger Delta

The Nigerian government on Saturday pledged improved capacity for military in the task of dealing with the problem of pipeline vandalism, kidnapping, cultism and sundry crimes in the Niger Delta region.

Chief of Defense Staff, Abayomi Olanisakin made the pledge in Yenagoa, capital of Bayelsa State during an operational visit to the headquarters of the Joint Military Force in Niger Delta.

Olanisakin said the visit followed the strategic directive of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Muhammad Buhari to deal with security threats in the Niger Delta region.

The defense chief said the visit was to access the challenges of the troops with a view to addressing them to ensure operational effectiveness in dealing with the threats.

On the security challenges in the Niger Delta region, Olanisakin said following the directive of the president, defense chiefs had identified 10 security threats ranging from illegal oil bunkering to oil theft at the Niger Delta region.

"We have looked into that and are ensuring that these issues are properly addressed and we have zero tolerance to militancy and other oil and gas criminality in the region," Olanisakin added.