Friday, October 23, 2020 may not be the best of days for residents of Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, as troops of the Nigerian Army and Niger Delta militants prepare for a showdown.

Kristina Reports exclusively learnt that the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt may be hitting the streets to restore order in the city from Port Harcourt to Obio/Akpor to Oyigbo LGAs, which areas have transformed into hotbeds of violence in the past two days.

Kristina Reports further learnt that the said militants were also set to engage the Nigerian security forces in reaction to developments in the polity with regards to how the government was handling the #EndSARS protest.

Hoodlums, who ostensibly hijacked the nationwide protest, have taken advantage of it to cause mayhem across various parts of the country, especially, Obigbo in Oyigbo LGA, Diobu in Port Harcourt LGA, and Elelenwo in Obio/Akpor LGA all in Rivers State.

Recall that the State Governor, Nyesom Wike had imposed a 24 hour curfew on parts of the Port Harcourt and the entire Oyigbo LGA in response to the deteriorating security situation in the State.

He later also inaugurated a Commission of Inquiry headed by retired Justice Chukwunenye Uriri  to probe cases of human rights abuse and extra-judicial killings by operative of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS)

Later same day, President Muhammadu Buhari, in his nationwide broadcast Thursday, October 22, 2020, had warned miscreants to desist from causing more trouble and the protesting youths to stay off the streets.

A military source, who spoke on condition of anonymity to Kristina Reports, revealed that there will be heavy deployment of soldiers across Port Harcourt, Obio/Akpor and Oyigbo LGAs tomorrow with a view to quelling the mayhem that has visited the areas.

“There will be heavy military deployment all over Rivers State tomorrow, especially, Port Harcourt Metropolis, including Port Harcourt, Obio/Akpor and Obigbo. And there is a program they are going to do called ‘Operation Positive Identification’. There will be a heavy military deployment.”

He disclosed that the rampaging hoodlums that have been terrorizing the city allegedly killed two soldiers and burnt two military Hilux vans in the process, warning that the soldiers were angry and angling for vengeance.  

“Two soldiers were killed today, as I am talking to you now they are bringing their corpses to the barracks. Two Army Hilux vans were burnt and some other soldiers have been missing in action.”

“What they do is that they write MIA, they send signal all over that they should look for those soldiers before they declare them dead. So, what this means is that all the soldiers in Port Harcourt barracks have been put under alert. No soldier is allowed to go out again, the beagle has been sounded.”

“They told them to get ready. As at this night there were several armoured personnel carriers (APCs) and other military tanks and soldiers standing by it. Soldiers are all on guard and they are very angry and they are talking about vengeance.”

It was not clear as at the time of this report if the Nigerian Navy (NN), Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were going to be part of the operation tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Niger Delta militants have expressed their readiness to take on the Nigerian security forces should they continue to violate the rights of citizens of the country, especially, those from the region, by stopping them from expressing their constitutionally guaranteed rights.

Leader of one of the militant groups, who spoke to Kristina Reports on condition of anonymity, said their anger draws from the harsh treatment being meted out to innocent, unarmed and peaceful citizens who, according to them, were only expressing their right peaceful assembly and expression.

“Please tell our people that they should stay away because we are ready to take on the system. We are ready to do the right things.”

“The boats are ready, boys are gathering at the waterside and the rivers to do the needful. If they don’t want us to get it right in this country, we will ensure they do the right things. They should do the right thing.”

A Port Harcourt based and human rights activist, Higher King has, however, warned the military to ensure they abide by the rules of military-civil engagement and protect the human rights of citizens.

In a terse message to Kristina Reports, the celebrated lawyer urged the military hierarchy in the State to read out the rules of engagement with the civilian population to the soldiers before they are deployed to avoid any instances of violation 0of the rights of the citizens.