It is not useful to kill a fly with gun – Bishop to FG on militants

Rev. Tunde Adeleye has urged FG to tread softly on its determination to deal with Niger Delta militants

Rev. Tunde Adeleye, Bishop of Calabar Diocese, Anglican Communion has urged FG to tread softly on the determination to deal with Niger Delta militants.

Rev. Adeleye also urged the federal government to pay attention to the violence perpetuated by Fulani herdsmen across the country. 

Speaking in Calabar, Cross River state capital, during a press briefing on the second session of the ninth synod of the diocese, Adeleye said that other the use of military force to address the agitations of the militants, dialogue is the best way out.

He said: “We use this opportunity to call on the Federal Government to please tread a little softly on the determination to deal with the Niger Delta militants with heavy display of the army’s might and weapons. It is not useful to kill a fly with a gun. 

“We plead with the Avengers and other militants to please stop the attack and bombings of the oil producing facilities in the delta area. 

Consequent upon their action, we are told that production of oil and gas has been brought to the lowest in 20 years. 

Two wrongs cannot make a right. The option of dialogue should be explored.” 

However, Adeleye described as barbaric, inhuman and crucially bestial the method of arrest of judges by the Department of State Service for alleged corruption. 

Militants in the Niger Delta region especially the Niger Delta Avengers have been blowing up pipelines in the region and has vowed to continue with this destruction until zero oil is produced in the region. 

Following the re-occurring oil pipeline vandalism, Nigeria’s daily oil production has reduced to 680,000 barrels per day. 

According to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), with the high level of vandalism by the Nigerian Delta Avengers, the infrastructure in the oil sector will not get back to work until after about 15 to 20 years.