The federal government of Nigeria speaking through Vice President Yemi Osinbajo claims that a group called the Niger Delta Avengers is causing an economic recession.
That same group announces a ceasefire and instead of the government to move in and embrace the offer of peace and possible lower the pool of the militants operating in the oil-rich region of the Niger Delta, they go ahead and launches “Operation Crocodile Smile’.
It turns out that the militants have responded to Crocodile Smile with Crocodile tears. Read up on 2nd World War history and find out what crocodile smile means to Japanese soldiers who had to go to battle in swampy jungles that they knew nothing about the terrain.
Let me tell you a bit about it. The crocodiles waited quietly or the Japanese troops to settle in. At night, when the troops were sleeping, the crocodiles attacked from all direction in unbelievable unison. It is reported that when the attacks were launched, the Japs prefered to be taken prisoner by the opposing army than remain in the swamps.
I have consistently called for dialogue between the federal government and Tompolo. I have called for the Buhari government to engage Niger Delta leaders. I have asked that the demonising campaign against Asari Dokubo be stopped and rather he be engaged to engage “the boys”.
I have also asked that Ijaw youth like Eric Omares be engaged to work towards bringing peace to the region.
Oil installation costing millions of dollars need not be destroyed any longer.
I have also maintained that Ayiri Emami has lost whatever goodwill he was enjoying in the Niger Delta. By choosing to castigate his neighbours, the Ijaws, and seeing a defeat of the Ijaw people as his personal victory, he is no longer useful in the process for peace.
A leader like Michael Ejele Diden would be more capable of negotiating for peace.
But of course, idiots have come out and told the federal government that they will crush the militants. This is after intelligence reveals that only one person with a bazooka can take down a pipeline and that even the whole US Army cannot secure every inch of the oil pipelines that crisscross our backyards.
I keep telling the fools to choose peace and COMMUNITY POLICING.
This destruction is how much in dollars to repair? More importantly, how much production is lost thereby before the repairs take place??
Idiotic leadership, spurred on by online Idiots advising them on foolish paths.
Ena Ofugara studied law in the University of Benin for some years before leaving Nigeria for the United States where he is studying while working. He has a passion for Nigeria. He has a clear bias for his people of the Niger Delta and he believes the Nigerian system – justice, social, economic – is rigged against his people. So he became a social and political commentator to highlight this injustice. Connect with him on Facebook.
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
