The Nigerian army has dismissed the allegation that the Nigerian government is to spend 2 billion U.S. dollars on procurement of armament to fight militants in the Niger Delta region, the News Agency of Nigeria reported on Saturday.

Owoye Azazi, the chief of Nigeria' Army Staff, who stated the position of the Nigerian government at an interactive session with youths of the area in Rivers state capital Port Harcourt, said the army could procure arms any time for service.

"We are required to purchase equipment for the training of our men any time," he explained.

Azazi also dismissed the notion that the Niger Delta region was militarized, saying that there were strategic locations such as oil companies which required adequate protection.

He explained that the presence of military personnel in the Niger Delta was to provide protection and not to intimidate the people.

Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo was interested in engaging the youths of the area in dialogue to resolve the crises, he added.

Source: Xinhua