The Niger Delta Avengers on Saturday said militants allegedly arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services were not their members but informants allegedly recruited by the security agency to infiltrate its group.
In a statement signed by NDA's spokesman, Mudoch Agbinibo, and posted on the group's website, it described the arrest of its members as laughable, adding that not even the military can arrest them.
The DSS on Friday claimed it arrested some kingpins of the group linked to embattled ex-militant leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, otherwise called Tompolo.
The militant group, however, said those arrested were aggrieved "sleeper agents" hired to go after it members and who the agency refused to pay whatever was promised them.
According to it, "Reports from national dailies that two suspects; Mr. Christian Oluba alias Sensor, and Selky Kile Torughedi arrested by the DSS are alleged members of Niger Delta Avengers is laughable. The fact is they are sleeper agents of the DSS sent after the Niger Delta Avengers.
"The boys have the right to demand for their money from the DSS. Why not pay them instead of arresting and labelling them as Niger Delta Avengers members?"
It challenged the DSS to allow the suspects speak to the press to tell their side of the story if it was confident of its claim.
"DSS and Nigeria Army cannot win the Niger Delta war by feeding their President with false information about situation of things in the region. It's all-good because as it seems, the DSS is now having internal crisis with most of their sleeper agents and it a sign that God is on our side," it added.
The statement also said there were many problems in the region ranging from underdevelopment, environmental degradation to self-determination deserving of the President's attention rather than hatching a plot to arrest its members.
Meanwhile, the acting Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, on Friday visited the Itsekiri community of Ugborodo and the troubled Gbaramatu Kingdom in the Warri South West Council Area of Delta State.
The visit could be described as historic being the first IG to have visited the riverine communities since the country's Independence and his first visit to the area after assuming office.
Idris, who had earlier paid a courtesy visit to the state governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, told the communities that the Federal Government and the Nigerian military were not against them.
However, Pere (King) of Gbaramatu Kingdom, HRM Naira Williams Ogoba Oboro Gbaraun II, Aketekpe Agadagba and other prominent Ijaw chiefs slated to meet the IG were conspicuously absent leaving just a handful of community residents to welcome the police boss.
Idris, who arrived Chevron Terminal Airpad through the Osubi Airstrip in Okpe Local Governmnet Area, was accompanied by senior police officers and the Delta State Police Commissioner, Zanna Ibrahim, before proceeding to the various communities.
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