Troops of Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Delta Safe (ODS), have clashed with militants suspected to be members of the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) in the creeks of Delta State.
The troops of Sector 1 of ODS were said to have encountered the militants and engaged them in a gun battle in the Batan-Egwa creeks of Warri South West Local Government Area.
The operatives were reportedly deployed in an outpost of the Nigeria Gas Company (NGC) to protect the facilities of the firm when they saw two 200 horsepower boats conveying the militants.
The Coordinator of ODS Joint Media Campaign Centre (JMCC), Lt.-Col. Olaolu Dauda, confirmed the encounter in a statement yesterday in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, but said the troops repelled the militants.
The statement said: “They (militants) came in 200 horsepower speed capacity boats but were subsequently engaged and repelled. Effort is ongoing to apprehend the criminals.”
It added: “Troops at Batan reported a loud sound suspected to be an explosion. Further findings revealed that a barge carrying equipment used for the repairs of the Trans Forcados pipeline at the repair site in Eweregbene community was blown by suspected Niger Delta Avengers militants who retreated after troops repelled the attack.
“However, two unexploded dynamites found on the scene on a branch and swamp buggy were successfully detonated by our troops.”
Olaolu also said troops of Sector 2 in Bayelsa State, in conjunction with Special Forces, conducted patrols at Sand-sand Fishing Camp and uncovered attempts by militants to rebuild a destroyed camp.
He said: “The troops engaged the suspected militants and killed one of them, popularly called ‘Edoboy’. He was one of the notorious kingpins on the wanted list of security agencies, having been terrorising innocent members of the communities. “
The spokesman said the troops also engaged another group of suspected sea robbers in creeks near Lobia community in Bayelsa State.
Olaolu said: “One suspect, popularly called ‘Stainless Gobo’, was killed while others escaped with various degrees of injuries towards Lobia community.
“The slain suspected sea robber is believed to be affiliated to a wanted militant, called ‘VIP’. One AK-47, two magazines, 29 rounds of 7.62 milimetre special, 10 empty cases, seven charms, two head warmers and a cutlass were recovered from the scene.”