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Tag: Acting Director

  • JTF recovers 1,389 arms, destroys 1,437 illegal refineries 

    The Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Delta Safe (ODS) Thursday said it had so far recovered 1,389 different types of arms and 20, 352 items of munitions from militants and other hostile elements in the Niger Delta region.

    Speaking at the JTF’s Headquarters, Igbogene, Yenagoa, Bayelsa, the Acting Director, Defence Information, Brig.Gen. John Agim and Deputy Commander of the outfit, Brig.Gen. Kelvin Aligbe said the weapons were recovered at the ongoing mop up of arms in the region.

    Agim said the arms mop-up was initiated to restore law and order in the Niger Delta adding that troops also destroyed 1,437 illegal refineries and 795 wooden cargo boats used by oil thieves.

    He said in separate operations, the troops destroyed 3,872 metal surface tanks, 1,019 plastic tanks, 13,129 drums and 13,343 jerry cans containing illegally refined petroleum products.

    He said: “It is instructive to add that the introduction of the use of swamp buggy in the JTF’s anti-illegal refining operations has significantly degraded the capacity of illegal refinery operators to revamp destroyed illegal refineries.

    “However, individuals are discouraged from indulging in illegal refining and bunkering of crude products as this has huge implication in undermining and destroying the ecosystem”.

    Agim noted that since the activation of the outfit in 2017 a total of 1,846 suspects were arrested for various criminal activities.

    “A large percentage of these suspects have been transferred to prosecuting agencies. The force has also made efforts to target the arrest of high-profile elements and criminal kingpins, thus reducing the freedom of action they erstwhile exploited”, he said.

    He said the outfit seized and impounded 24 vessels, 191 barges, 234 outboard engines and 476 other types of passenger boats used to facilitate economic crimes in the region.

    He said the efforts of the outfit reduced the incessant destruction and sabotage of oil facilities, which resulted in drastic drop in crude oil production.

    Apart from reducing oil production output from 2.2m barrel per day to 900,000, he recalled that attacks on gas pipelines affected power generation capacity of the country.

    “It is gratifying to note that as at date, the production levels are averaging about 2.5m barrel per day. Indeed, the NNPC management recently affirmed that pipeline vandalism had dropped significantly.

    “These tangible successes have further spurred the task force to improve upon this standard to drastically reduce breaches on oil infrastructure. The force has made efforts to clear the area of identified militant camps whose activities have threatened national security”, he said.

    According to him recently troops of the outfit successfully conducted a covert operation with Special Forces to neutralise the activities of the Bakassi Strike Force (BSF).

    Giving further insight, he said: “A high profile militant leader of the Bakassi Strike Force alias G1 had continued to pose transnational threat in Cameroun and other coastal territory of Bakassi, Ikang and environs in Nigeria.

    “Concertedly, our troops dislodged the militant group’s camp at a creek along Efut Esighi in Cross River state where several arms and ammunition were recovered and some militants neutralized”.

    Read Also: JTF launch Operation Jagunlabi to check pipeline vandalism in Lagos creeks

  • Troops rescue 88 hostages in Borno

    Troops rescue 88 hostages in Borno

    ...Kill three insurgents

    Troops on clearance operations in the Northeast have rescued 88 people in Bama Local Government Area of Borno and killed three during an encounter.

    A statement signed by Col. Sani Usman, Acting Director, Army Public Relations, in Abuja on Tuesday, said 28 people of those rescued, claimed they escaped from Bula Musa village.

    Usman said the 28 people comprised two men, nine women and 17 children, adding that the troops killed three terrorists during separate encounter.

    “They have been taken to Bama town for screening, profiling and possible handover to emergency management and humanitarian agencies,” Usman said.

    He said that another 23, comprising a man, five women and 17 children were intercepted by troops deployed at Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Bama.

    Usman said this was after they escaped from terrorists in Bula Musa general area on Sunday.

    “In Dikwa, the troops also recorded influx of 37 IDPs, comprising two men, 12 women, 12 boys and 11 girls from Gulumba Gana village which is about 45km astride Gulumba-Kumshe Road axis, Bama Local Government Area.

    “They were screened by the troops and the Civilian JTF who, later handed them over to the Dikwa IDPs camp management for further registration and rehabilitation,’’ Usman said.

    He said those deployed at Nigeria-Cameroon border in conjunction with Civilian JTF also arrested two escaping Boko Haram terrorists named Mohammed Mundilga and Ahmed Ali.

    “The terrorists, who hail from Gamboru Ngala Local Government Area on preliminary investigation confessed that they were Boko Haram fighters, and added that they sneaked into Gamboru from Abbaganaram village, Marte Local Government Area after being tired of staying in the bush.

    ‪”They, terrorists, attempted to disguise and pass on as IDPs but ran out of luck as they were found out. Both of them have been handed over to the Joint Investigation centre for further interrogation,’’ he said.

    ‪The army spokesman said troops also carried out clearance operation and fighting patrol at Wadama, Izakah, Gelemari and Kalizaram villages.

    ‪He said following information that terrorists were extorting residents of Zankari village, troops stationed in Monguno, responded and killed two of them, while one sustained gunshot wounds.

    ‪Usman said the troops recovered one AK-45 rifle and three rounds of 7.62mm ammunition from the insurgents.

    In a related development, Usman said the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) team led by Adam Zanna Karamma had visited Bama IDPs camp.

    He said the team registered internally displaced persons below 17 of age for distribution of non-food items, adding that they would be trained on skills acquisition and construction of temporary shelter.

  • Wanted journalist replies Army

    Wanted journalist replies Army

    … ‘I made personal sacrifices for Chibok girls’

    Wanted citizen journalist, Ahmad Salkida, has declared his readiness to return to Nigeria to answer questions on his alleged association with the Boko Haram sect.

    Salkida was declared wanted by the Nigerian Army hours after Boko Haram uploaded another video showing some of the abducted Chibok girls.

    The journalist had claimed on his social media handle that the video was exclusively sent to him by the terror group’s hierarchy.

    In a statement by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations Col. Sani Kukasheka Usman, Salkida was wanted in connection with the last two videos released by Boko Haram terrorists and other findings.

    Responding to the development on his twitter handle, Salkida said he has stayed within “the creed of professional journalism,” in all his work and extensive coverage of Boko Haram insurgency since 2006.

    He said: “Clearly, my status as a Nigerian journalist who has reported extensively, painstakingly and consistently on the Boko Haram menace in the country since 2006 is an open book known to Nigerians and the international community. Equally, my total allegiance and sacrifice to the Federal Republic of Nigeria is self-evident. I have stayed within the creed of professional journalism in my work.

    “As a testimony to the credible and professional values of my access, since May 2015, l have been to Nigeria three times on the invitation of Federal Government agencies. I made personal sacrifices for the release of our Chibok daughters.

    “Finally, the Army is aware that I am not in Nigeria presently. In the coming days I will seek to get a flight to Abuja and avail myself to the Army authorities. Indeed, my return will be hastened if the military sends me a ticket.”

     

     

  • Troops intercept fleeing Boko Haram members

    Troops intercept fleeing Boko Haram members

    Fleeing members of the Boko Haram sect were on Tuesday intercepted at Pulka while attempting to escape the ongoing military onslaught in Sambisa forest.

    This is contained in a statement by Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Sani Usman, when he disclosed that troops arrested one of the insurgents during the encounter, while many others were killed.

    According to the Colonel, the troops also recovered a General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG), 47 rifle magazines, 36 hand grenades, several rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunitions and quite a number of Shilka gun empty shells.

    Similarly, the troops recovered 2 boxes of 7.62mm ammunitions, a Toyota Hilux, and some Improvised Explosive making Devices cords, during another encounter with the sect at Buni Yadi general area.