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Vanguard (Lagos)
INTERVIEW
November 19, 2006
Posted to the web November 20, 2006

Gen. Azazi, Chief of the Army Staff,  why will you carry out full military
operations against your people?  Could it be that the militants are having an
upper hand and that is what informed this meeting or dialogue?
Basically, my worries are how the region can benefit from the efforts of the
Federal Government. If there is violence, we can"t benefit from the efforts.
Every body must get into this project, the oil companies, state and local
governments even the individuals. Again let me clear this that soldiers are not
negotiating. Soldiers have the primary duty to protect the nation. Soldiers
don't turn against the society. Soldiers can't be afraid because we have not
conducted really military operations in the area. But why will you carry out
full military operations against your people? Why don"t you find common ground?
We have a duty to protect these facilities from external attack. I want peace
in the Niger Delta. I want the region to be focused on development.
This meeting is coming a day after the militants issued another threat to
attack Nigerians?
I am not guaranteeing that because we have talked with them, there would be no
action tomorrow. Again, it is not because militants gave us ultimatum, that we
are talking. If anybody gives me ultimatum I will rather see how I can counter
it and not by dialogue
Soldiers have been blamed for some of the hostilities in the region. What is
now going to be next order to them?
The basic thing is that there must be change of perception either by the
militants or the soldiers. It is not by withdrawal of soldiers as I have read
some called for in the past. It is only soldiers that have authority to carry
arms
It was reported that foreign assistance was coming to the army to help it
protect the Niger Delta against militancy attacks. What is the situation like
now?
The Nigerian Army has the capability to do its job and it is its responsibility
to protect the country and it is provided for by the federal government to do
the job. Conclusion from all that was said is that poverty is at the root of
the problem in the region. The people feel robbed and cheated any time it
occurs to them that the nation is sustained by wealth from their area yet they
have nothing to show for the resources. There is need for economic empowerment
of the people; the youths for instance should be engaged in productive
ventures. The dearth of infrastructure in the area should also be urgently
addressed. It is very sad that nothing concrete has started on the East/West
road about eight months after presidency gave approval for its dualisation.


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