Group Seeks Withdrawal Of JTF In N’Delta

Worried over alleged human rights violations perpetrated by the Joint Military Task Force in some parts of Niger Delta, the United Niger Delta Development Energy, Security and Strategy (UNDESS), has called for immediate withdrawal of the military outfit in the region.

Spokesman of UNDESS and human rights activist, Ann-Kio Briggs made the assertion during a media interactive programme in Port Harcourt.

Ms Briggs argued that the recent bombings carried out by JTF in Ayakoroam a community in the quest to capture militant leader John Togo was capable of creating human casualties and dislocate families who subsist on fishing.

She stated that previous actions by the military outfit last year had recorded huge casualties, lamenting that, “how do they use two to three aircrafts to bomb the creeks when you are looking for a single person and you are bombing communities. How does that show they care for the lives and properties of the people?”

The UNDESS spokeswoman stated that prior to the military action by the JTF, the militant leader had embraced the amnesty granted militants in 2009, while expressing fears that the disposition of the JTF does not guarantee the safety of Togo if he finally surrenders.

Calling on the Federal Government to stand by its pronouncement, Ms Briggs asserted that measures should be evolved by the authorities to check activities of the JTF, which according to her, has violated human rights in the Niger Delta.

She explained that following the amnesty granted two years ago, one would have thought that hostilities would have ceased but the reverse was the case.

While proferring solutions to the problems in the Niger Delta, Briggs submitted that time has come for a sovereign conference of all the ethnic nationalities on the way forward.

Earlier in the week, Public Relations Officer of the JTF, Lt. Col. Timothy Antiphar has dismissed claims by the UNDESS that casualties were recorded on during its onslaught at riverine communities in Delta State.