- Kill 23 terrorists, arrest 82
Chuks Oyema-Aziken
Troops of Operation DELTA SAFE, while conducting Operation OCTOPUS GRIP have discovered and destroyed 30 illegal refining sites,125 storage tanks, 227 ovens, 11 dugout pits and 21 wooden boats, in Niger Delta region within three weeks.
Meanwhile, troops of operation SAFE HAVEN, WHIRL STROKE, HADARIN DAJI and WHIRL PUNCH, deployed to North Central and North West theatres, killed over 23 terrorists and arrested no fewer than 82 others.
This was disclosed by the Deputy Director, Defence Media Operation, Brigadier General Abdullahi Haruna Ibrahim, during a routine media briefing on Thursday in Abuja.
He said the troops recovered 1,675,700 litres of crude oil, 74,500 litres of Automotive Gas Oil, 10 vehicles, 20 motorcycles, 8 weapons and 330 assorted ammunition.
He also disclosed that no fewer than 42 economic saboteurs, were equally arrested by the troops, within the period under review.
He added that a total of five hundred three million six hundred and sixty thousand five hundred naira, only were denied the oil thieves within the period in focus.
General Ibrahim, said: “The land, maritime and air component of the Joint Task Force Operations DELTA
SAFE has sustained the effort in ensuring a safe and peaceful environment for business activities to strive in the South South zone of the country. In furtherance to this, troops conducted patrols, raids, swamp buggy and anti-illegal oil bunkering operations in the creeks, waterways, high seas, roads, towns and cities of Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers and Cross River State respectively. The operations were aimed at denying criminal elements freedom
of action. On 17 June 2023, troops raided suspected criminals hideouts in Akpabuyo in Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River State and arrested 14 suspected criminals who has been terrorizing the general area with 2 locally fabricated guns and 2 axes. Also, on 25 June 2023, following a tip off troops conducted patrol to suspected criminals camp within Azuzuama Community in South Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State and had a meeting engagement with the criminals. Following a fire fight, the criminals fled into the forest. Troop cordoned the general area and recovered 5 AK47 rifles, 2 RPG tubes, 2.RPG bombs, 4 RPG bomb chargers, 7 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 14 AK47
magazines, 1 pumping machines, 2 x 16inch of anchored verves, 1 mallet hammer, 1 pipe range spinner and 1 axe. Troops also destroyed the criminal’s camps and armoury”.
Troops, he added also rescued 38 kidnapped civilians, 1 Boko Haram Terrorists/Islamic State of West Africa Province terrorist equally surrendered to the troops.
Giving a breakdown of the killing and arrest in North Central and North West, the Deputy Director, said: “Troops of operations SAFE HAVEN and WHIRL STROKE, operating in the North Central, have remained focus vigilant and resilient in the onslaught against terrorist and other criminalities in the North Central zone of the country. Consequently, within the weeks in review, troops.neutralized 7 terrorists and arrested 44 suspected criminals.
Troops also recovered 202 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 190 rounds of 5.5mm ammo, 27 rounds of 5.56 x 45mm NATO, 6 AK47 rifles, 2 locally fabricated AK47 rifles, 2 locally fabricated shot guns, 1 FN rifle, 1 dane gun, 1 AK47 magazine and 1 bullet proof vest. Other include 17 bags of cannabis, 2,374 tablets of 500mg benghexol, 570 tablets of 500mg of diazepam, 14 tablets o 100 mg diazepam, 29 tablets of 100mg tramadol, 10 tablets of 225mg of tramadol, 24 tablets of dolometa capsules, 60 railways sleepers, 2 motorcycles, 10 mobile phones and 95 rustled livestock. Troops equally rescued 6 kidnapped civilians. All recovered items, apprehended civilians and rescued civilians have been handed over to the appropriate authority for further action”.
He further revealed that in North West, “Troops of Operations HADARIN DAJI and WHIRL PUNCH sustained the onslaught against bandits and other criminal elements terrorizing the North
Western zone of the country. Consequently, within the period under review, troops neutralized 16 terrorists, arrested 38 suspected criminals and recovered 10 AK47 rifles, 1 GPMG, 13 locally fabricated made guns, 1 barreta pistol, 4 dane guns, 161 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 7 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 46 rounds of AA ammo, 6 rounds of 9mm ammo, 8 AK47 magazines, 1 IED suicide vest, 1 IED detonator cord and 2 pairs of combat boots. Others are 80 motorcycles, 34 mobile phones, 2 solar panels, 10 plant chemicals, 18 jerrycans of PMS, 5 pairs of shoes, 9 MP players, large quantities of substance suspected to be cannabis and 6illicit drugs, 3 boxes, 1,260 rustled livestock, the sum of One Million, Two Hundred and Eighty Six Thousand, Five Hundred and Thirty Eight Naira (N1,286,538.00) and 600 CFA only as well as other sundry items”.
He added that all recovered items and apprehended economic saboteurs have been handed over to the appropriate authority for further action.
