Nigerian military given mandate to quash militancy in oil region

December 6 - The Nigerian government has given its security forces a mandate to wipe out rebel camps and end militancy in the main oil-producing region within the next month, the head of the special military unit in the Niger Delta said December 6.

The military the week ended December 3 began massive raids in southern Delta state targeting camps believed to be run by militant leader John Togo which left scores of villagers displaced and a number of casualties.

"The current operation is to take up camps, mop up arms and eliminate militancy in the Niger Delta. That is the target given to me by the federal government," the head of the Joint Task Force, Major General Charles Omoregie, said on a program aired by Nigerian television.

"We want to achieve this within the next one month," Omoregie said, adding that since the capture last month of a militant commander known as Obese and 60 of his followers in Rivers state, calm had returned to the country's oil capital Port Harcourt. Omoregie said the military's next target is to capture John Togo, who he said was a criminal responsible for the spate of kidnappings, piracy and attacks on oil pipelines in the area.

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