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Tag: JTF

  • JTF kills Boko Haram chief Shekau’s deputy, 17 others

    JTF kills Boko Haram chief Shekau’s deputy, 17 others

    The Defence Headquarters yesterday said that a Boko Haram commander, Momodu Bama, who was said to be the second-in-command to the leader of the sect, Imam Abubakar Shekau and 17 others, had been killed in a shoot-out between Special Forces and the insurgents.

    Besides, 24 members of the sect were arrested by the troops.

    Bama was one of the 19 leaders of Boko Haram declared wanted by the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Borno State on November 23, last year. There was no independent confirmation of Bama’s death last night.

    But it was learnt that the commander’s body was taken away by the insurgents.

    According to a statement by the Director of Information at the Defence Headquarters, Brig.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, Shekau’s deputy was killed along the “Bama corridor”. He was described as an expert in manning anti-aircraft guns for Boko Haram.

    The statement said: “As troops intensify pursuit of terrorists, who have been unleashing mayhem in Borno and Yobe communities, the death of Momodu Bama, said to be the second-in-command to the leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, has been confirmed by other arrested terrorists.

    “This followed encounters with the terrorists around the Bama corridor.

    “Momodu Bama has been personally leading the attacks against troops and innocent citizens in the communities of Yobe and Adamawa.

    “A specialist in manning the anti-aircraft guns of the group, he is known to be vicious and heartless with a penchant for personally slaughtering and executing his victims.

    “Momodu Bama has been a most wanted terrorist with a N25million bounty already placed on his head.

    “Others that died in the operation include Bama’s father, Alhaji Abatcha Flatari, who is also one of the spiritual guiding lights of the outlawed terrorists group. 17 other terrorists also lost their lives in the encounter while 24 were arrested.

    “The troops are continuing the pursuit of the terrorists while intensifying aggressive aerial and land patrols to ensure better security cover for the communities, especially in the two states.”

    Shedding more light on the encounters with Boko Haram members, a top source added: “The second-in-command to Boko Haram leader and 17 others were actually killed between Sunday and Monday in Bama corridor.

    “What happened was that after they attacked Bama town, we launched counter-attacks. It was in the process of trailing them that troops engaged the insurgents in some encounters which led to the death of the 18, including Momodu Bama and his father.

    “We did not even know that Momodu Bama was shot dead in the crossfire until we started interrogating the arrested suspects who confirmed it to us. They gave us sufficient testimony to reach our conclusion.”

    Asked if the military had retrieved Bama’s body, the source said: “As usual of the sect, they took away the corpse of Momodu Bama.”

    Bama was one of the 19 leaders of Boko Haram declared wanted by the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Borno State on November 23, 2012.

    A N25million ransom was placed on him by the JTF.

    Others were four members of the Shurra Committee of the sect, including, Shekau (N50million); Habibu Yusuf (a.k.a Asalafi) N25million; Khalid Albarnawai( N25million); and Mohammed Zangina (N25million).

    The Boko Haram Commanders are Abu Saad (N10million); Abba Kaka (N10million); Abdulmalik Bama (N10million) Umar Fulata(N10million); Alhaji Mustapha (Massa) Ibrahim (N10million); Abubakar Suleiman-Habu (a.k.a Khalid) N10million; Hassan Jazair N10million; Ali Jalingo (N10million); Alhaji Musa Modu (N10million); Bashir Aketa (N10million); Abba Goroma(N10million); Ibrahim Bashir (N10million); Abubakar Zakariya (N10million); and Tukur Ahmed Mohammed (N10million).

    In Maiduguri, JTF also confirmed Bama’s killing.

    JTF spokesman Lt. Col. Sagir Musa told reporters that the person killed by security forces in neighbouring Adamawa State was not Momodu Bama as claimed.

    “It is either the suspect adopted the name of Momodu Bama, a popular Boko Haram operation officer and the second-in-command to Shekau, or the task force could not ascertain his real identity.

    “On the contrary, we killed Bama and his father, Abatcha Flatari, a Boko Haram spiritual leader, on August 4 during a counter-insurgency operation at Bama.”

    He added that “it took over a week to ascertain their identities”.

    A JTF statement said Bama, also called “Abu Saad” by sect members, was “one of the most vicious and heartless killers in the group with penchant for slaughtering his victims”.

    “He had a bounty of 25 million naira placed on him by the JTF and the said Momodu Bama’s father, Abatcha Flatari was one of the spiritual leaders of Boko Haram in charge of indoctrinating children who are mainly abducted to serve as foot soldiers.”

  • JTF Impounds oil-laden boats

    …Arrests 11suspects

    At least 10 open wooden boats laden with 198,000 litres of suspected stolen Automated Gas Oil (AGO) have been impounded by the Joint Task Force, Operation Pulo Shield.

    JTF operatives also destroyed 27 illegal refineries in two separate operations within the Niger Delta region.

    The boats were said to have been intercepted by the troops of 3 and 19 battalions of the JTF.

    Three of the impounded boats were reportedly laden with 15,000 litres each. Six of the boats contained 20,000 litres each while one of the boats was loaded with about 33, 000 litres.

    The Media Coordinator, JTF, Lt. Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, described the products as adulterated AGO.

    Nwachukwu said the boats were uncovered at an area where oil thieves set up 16 illegal refineries.

    He said the illicit refineries were later destroyed by the troops.

    He said: “The oil thieves operated with 50 oil cooking tanks, 37 steel reservoir, 27 large plastic tanks, 40 metal drums and 5 dug out pits in Ugbokodo, Ajudigho, Saghara, Obegugu and Oghara all in Warri South and Ethiope West local government areas of Delta State.”

    He said 11 suspected oil thieves were arrested by the troops from July 26 to August 6.

    According to him, five of the suspects were apprehended while attempting to steal crude oil from a pipeline belonging to the Product and Pipeline Marketing Company (PPMC).

    He said troops of 146 Battalion of Sector 2 arrested the suspects at the pipeline located along Otokolomabie creek in Rivers State.

     

  • JTF, Boko Haram in gun battle

    JTF, Boko Haram in gun battle

    Gunfire and explosions shook a Borno town between Monday night and yesterday as the military battled Boko Haram insurgents.

    The fight in Gamboru Ngala, raged till last night according to military sources and residents as reported by French News Agency (AFP).

    In weekend’s attacks by the sect members on security outposts in two places in the state, two soldiers, a policeman and 33 others including sects members died.

    Because of fear of attack, the Joint Task Force in neighbouring Yobe State slapped a round-the-clock curfew on the state’s commercial city Potiskum.

    But the Presidency said the declaration of the state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states is effective and has succeeded in reducing drastically the level of insurgency.

    Also last night, President Goodluck Jonathan said the tactics adopted by the sect, took the government and security agencies by suprise.

    He spoke while breaking the fast with Muslim members of the Diplomatic community at the Villa.

    Clashes broke out in Gamboru Ngala on the border with Cameroon on Monday night and continued on Tuesday, a resident said. The military had not commented on the situation there and details remained unclear.

    In Gamboru Ngala, one resident said the fighting began after someone who runs errands for immigration officers was shot and wounded.

    “We have been bombarded with explosions and sounds of gunfire since yesterday evening,” the resident said.

    Residents over the border in Cameroon also reported hearing gunshots.

    The Presidency said yesterday that the state of emergency declared in three states – Borno, Yobe and Adamawa – is effective and has curbed the Boko Haram insurgency.

    Presidential spokesman Reuben Abati, who spoke on an FRCN network programme, said normalcy was returning to the areas. The terrorists are being uprooted and dislocated from their enclaves, he said.

    This position is contrary to that of Inspector General of Police Mohammed Abubakar, who declared last week that the state of emergency has not achieved its desired objective.

    Abubakar was addressing Assistant Inspectors-General at the Force Headquarters on the security situation in the country.

    But yesterday, Abati said: “The first point to note is that before the declaration of a state of emergency, the situation in the affected states was really bad, socio-economic activities had practically ceased. There was anxiety in the communities and beyond the affected parts to all parts of Nigeria. On a regular basis, there were either cases of detonation of bombs or harassment of people. There was a state of fear.

    “But since the declaration of a state of emergency by President Jonathan, a lot has been achieved. It was a very good tactical and strategic move, as well as a very good demonstration of leadership, determination and focus by this administration.

    “Three months down the line, when you look at the affected places where the state of emergency was declared, the first thing you will note is that before then, the Boko Haram insurgents had carved out a part of Nigeria. They had created enclaves where they exercised authority but they have now since been flushed out by the security agencies.”

    “I think the armed forces deserve commendation for being able to achieve this. Socio-economic activities have resumed in the affected states, Borno, Adamawa and Yobe, and people can now go about their normal businesses. The level of fear before the declaration of state of emergency in those affected states was really very high and even in the rest of the country, but that has gone down now.”

    In Yobe, the fear of a possible attack by Boko Haram during the Sallah celebration has created panic and fear among residents of major towns, such as Damaturu, Gaidam, Potiskum, Gashua, Nguru and Buni Yadi

    Such apprehension has even heightened, with the 24-hour curfew imposed on Potiskum town last night by the Joint Security Task Force(JTF), less than 48 hours to the Ed-el-Fitr celebration.

     

     

     

    The spokesman of the JTF in Yobe State, Captain Eli Lazarus, in a statement in Damaturu, said: “The Joint Task Force announces the imposition of 24-hour curfew in Potiskum town, commencing from today August 5th 2013.

    “Residents of Potiskum town are enjoined to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies until the curfew is lifted,” the statement read.

    Potiskum town is 100km southwest of Damaturu, the state capital.

    No official reason was given for the curfew, but official security sources said the JTF was working on some high security alert in the town.

    Our correspondent gathered that Potiskum town was relatively peaceful and calm before the announcement of the curfew.

    Troops are reported to be patrolling the town with residents remaining indoors

     

  • JTF arrests 608 suspected oil thieves

    •Seizes 24 vessels, 133 barges

    The Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta, code-named ‘Operation Pulo Shield’, said yesterday that it arrested 608 suspected oil thieves in 594 raids carried out between January and June.

    The JTF spokesman, Lt. Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yenagoa that oil theft was on the decline.

    “So far, we have carried out 594 illegal oil bunkering patrols and several arrests have been made.

    “In the two quarters we are talking about, we’ve scuttled about 748 illegal refineries within the region and we have impounded 24 vessels; we equally arrested 133 barges involved in oil theft.

    “And 861 giant open wooden boats, popularly referred to as Cotonou boats, have been seized.

    “About 910 large surface tanks which oil thieves engaged in illegal refineries use to reserve the crude have been seized.

    “We’ve taken into custody about 608 suspects who are involved in oil theft and oil theft related cases.’’

    On the rate of oil theft which reportedly led to a combined shut-in of 190,000 barrels per day production in Bayelsa, Nwachukwu said the JTF was making a positive impact.

    The spokesman said: “Two major pipelines were shut down and before these pipelines were actually shut down our patrol troops had reported breaches on these pipelines.

    “And if the oil companies had reacted in time to these reports, the breaches would have been clamped, and it would not have resulted in this shut down of the pipelines.

    “So, I would say that if you take an overview of the area, you will find that most of the illegal refineries that were in operation have been shut down completely.’’

     

  • JTF arrests five guards for Potiskum market robbery

    The Joint Task Force (JTF) in Yobe State yesterday arrested five security guards for a midnight robbery at the Potiskum Market.

    A statement by its spokesman, Lt. Lazarus Eli, said the guards were arrested because they failed to report the crime to the police or the JTF until the shop owners arrived the following day.

    The statement added: “The local security men, who were employed to guard the market, were on duty when the incident took place. The security men neither reported the robbery to the JTF nor the police for action until the shop owners made the discovery in the morning when they reported for the day’s business.”

    The Chairman of Potiskum Market Traders Association, Alhaji Abati Mohammed, told our reporter on phone that the robbers arrived the market at 1am yesterday and tied the guards on duty before burgling the shops.

    Mohammed said the robbers broke into 24 shops and stole over N1 million cash.

    He added that nobody was killed or injured in the operation.

    The market leader urged the state government to provide tight security at the market to forestall a recurrence.

     

  • JTF uncovers 35 illegal refineries in Warri

    JTF uncovers 35 illegal refineries in Warri

    •15 suspects arrested

    •Don’t give Boko Haram media visibility, says DHQ 

     

    The Defence Headquarters yesterday said the Joint Task Force (JTF) has uncovered 35 illegal refineries in a shrine in Warri and arrested 15 suspects as part of the war against oil theft.

    The Defence Headquarters spokesman, Brig-Gen Chris Olukolade, broke the news at a briefing by the Joint Security Committee in Abuja.

    Gen Olukolade said: “In the Niger Delta, the operations are making progress with the breakthrough, especially in the arrest of vessels involved in illegal bunkering and the destruction of illegal refineries.

    “Fifteen suspects have been arrested and three barges impounded. Some illegal refineries earlier destroyed were noted to have been reactivated elsewhere. Some notorious leaders of kidnap groups have also been arrested.

    “The troops are currently engaged in aggressive patrols to sustain this tempo of activities to checkmate and forestall emergence of new criminal groups in the region.”

    On the crisis in Plateau State, Gen Olukolade decried the unwarranted attack on men of the Special Task Force (STF).

    He added: “Despite the efforts and successes of the STF in executing its mandate in the Plateau, a trend of unwarranted attacks on men of the task force was noted.

    “This trend has been stopped as no recent case has been reported. Besides the rampant attack on communities, cattle rustling was also prevalent in the state. The STF has, however, been able to tackle this crime to some extent by recovering the stolen cattle and returning them to their owners.”

    He added: “Nigeria remains the fifth largest troops contributing country in peace support operations. The Nigerian military is currently involved in peace keeping missions in 11 countries.

    “Prominent among these missions are United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) ,United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Force in Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO), United Nations Mission for Referendum in Western Sahara (MNURSO), United Nations Operation in Cote D’Ivoire (ONUC), United Nations Intervention Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), ECOWAS Mission in Guinea Bissau (ECOMIB) and the United Nations Multi-dimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MNUSMA). This particular mission was established by United Nations Security Council Resolution 21000 in 2013 to take over from African-led International Support Mission in Mali (AFISMA).

    “Accordingly, the Force Commander of defunct AFISMA, Maj. Gen Shehu Usman Abdulkadir has returned to Nigeria with his staff, following the transfer of the operation’s mandate to the UN.

    “Others include establishment of Level 11 Hospital in Sudan and Cote D’Ivoire. However, the level 11 hospital in Cote D’Ivoire is being relocated to Mali.

    “We are proud to say that in all these missions, which our troops are participating in, they have exhibited a high degree of professionalism and competency.”

    Olukolade pleaded with Nigerians to support the military because the nation is undergoing a “peculiar security challenge.”

    He said: “The security situation in Nigeria is a peculiar challenge and ought to be appreciated as such. The forces are now to focus on protecting the population while mopping up the remaining terrorists and preventing them from any freedom of action to perpetrate mayhem and terror.

    “Consequently, the security agencies call on all Nigerians to continue to support the ongoing fight against terrorism. We call for more understanding of the international community represented by the foreign media.

    “We urge them to be objective, fair and responsible in their reportage so as not to jeopardise the integrity of the operation.”

    The Defence spokesman urged the media not to give Boko Haram insurgents visibility.

    He said: “This is a typical style of insurgents in sustaining their mission even when it is obvious that they are no more relevant. We call on the media to deny them the visibility which they so badly desire.

    “It will serve a better purpose if our media would refrain from giving prominence or recognition to terrorists’ activities in the media channels. “The emphasis or attention given to their activities tends to embolden them to commit more atrocities simply to gain attention.”

  • ‘Oil firms face losses over 2015 poll’

    Oil producing firms in the Niger Delta risk losing their investments to pre- and post-2015 election conflicts unless urgent steps are taken to avert such crises, the United States Institute for Peace, has said.

    In a special report, titled: What next for security in the Niger Delta, the group said major conflict drivers were still in place in the region despite the Federal Government’s decision to grant amnesty to militants.

    In the past, the region witnessed kidnappings, killings, destruction of oil pipelines and wells and loss of revenues arising from oil theft, among other problems that attracted the attention of local and international agencies.

    According to the report, issues such as wavering leadership on security, the closedown of amnesty in 2015, exclusion of some militants, divisions within the oil producing communities and post-election results, among others, could lead to violence and eventual disruption of oil facilities in 2015.

    It said: “Some possible triggers could have only distant ties to elections. In the run up to 2015, for instance, violence could flare around law enforcement efforts , particularly Joint Task Force (JTF) action on oil theft. During the 2000, skirmishes between soldiers and militants over stolen oil triggered a number of larger violent episodes. Some of the more financially independent groups could react badly to a crackdown on theft, not least those that have enjoyed period of impunity.”

    The report said militants dissatisfied with, or excluded from the amnesty programme could launch fresh attacks before the voting day, adding that there are many splinter groups, or factions that could fuel violence based on their perceived wrong treatments by the government.

    “While the amnesty has prevented some youths from committing crimes, such as kidnapping of expatriates and destruction of oil facilities among others, the programme and the complimentary initiatives have not meaningfully reduced the widespread corruption, zero-sum resource competition, under employment, local economic dysfunction, high youth unemployment, environmental degradation, lack of public accountability or criminality that fuelled past violence in the region,” the report said.

  • JTF arrests mega tonne vessel, 14 crew over illegal bunkering

    •Operators offer N14m bribe to army officer 

    A 3,500 metric tonne crude oil tanker and 14 crew members have been arrested by the Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta for alleged illegal bunkering.

    Commander of 3 Battalion of the Nigerian Army and JTF Sector 1, Lt. Colonel Ifeanyi Otu, said the vessel christened Cape Hope was arrested by his men at Benneth Island in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State.

    The vessel was marked with IMO (International Maritime Organisation) number 8313544. Documents in the vessel indicated that it was contracted by one Jack Marine with office in Apapa, Lagos.

    Lt. Col Otu said the vessel sailed into Warri River after its owners offered him a bribe of N14 million to facilitate the illegal deal.

    “The Commander played along with them that he would assist them until the vessel sailed into the Warri River prior to the criminal operation. It was impounded and crew members seized,” a JTF source said.

    The crew members were identified as Mr. Stephen Fregene, Captain; Ebikoro Oweikeyi, an engineer and a Ghanaian, Mr. Anku Williams, as well as Evans Nwoko, Blessing Okafor, Jacob Ojugbeli, Uchegbu VictorIdris Omoleri and Shola Ilororo

    The rest are John Mark, Ugbosanmi John, Patrick Wilson, Lamidi Janunu and Peter Adume.

    Further checks indicated that four vessels had been pencilled down for the illicit deal for which the commander was offered the huge sum of money.

    JTF source said the vessels are used by a criminal syndicate that obtain documents for them under the pretext of lifting sludge or waste.

    But the captain, Fregene denied knowledge of the criminal act, stressing that he was merely contracted by the Lagos-based company and ordered to sail to Egbokodo to load sludge.

    He said his vessel was empty when the JTF operatives swooped.

    However, the army top brass said he had earlier been offered a whopping N14m by the vessel owners to ensure his cooperation, adding that the activities of sponsors of the illegal bunkering in the region was becoming shocking.

     

  • Oil theft: JTF arrests Bayelsa monarch, others

    Oil theft: JTF arrests Bayelsa monarch, others

    The Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Pulo Shield, has arrested a traditional ruler and three other persons over allegations bordering on oil theft.

    The suspects were arrested for stealing 2,000 metric tonnes of crude oil along the waterways of Akassa in Brass local government area of Bayelsa State.

    They were said to have used an unregistered vessel to steal the product.

    The monarch, a third class chief according to the state ranking of traditional rulers, was said to have hailed from Twon Brass.

    He was reportedly apprehended after crew members arrested in the vessel claimed he was their main sponsor.

    A security source said the searchlight of JTF was beamed on the activities of the monarch before his arrest.

    The source, who craved anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter said some traditional rulers were funding oil theft.

    “We discovered that the boys came under the cover of the night and siphoned crude oil from the oil pipelines along the Brass-Sagana River in Akassa area.

    “We have discovered that some of these traditional rulers and community heads provide cover and funding for the activities of these oil thieves in Bayelsa.

    “We have started a series of collaboration with communities but we will not spare those directly involved in the illicit trade,” the source added.

    When contacted on the development, JTF Media Coordinator, Lt. Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, said he was yet to get the details of the arrest.

    “I will get in touch with our men in Sagana area and get back to you”, he said.

     

  • Emergency rule: Yobe seeks special intervention fund

    The Yobe Government has appealed to the Federal Government to float an intervention fund to cushion the effects of the Boko Haram insurgency on affected states.

    The Special Adviser to the state Governor on Media and Information, Alhaji Abdullahi Bego, made the appeal in a chat with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Damaturu on Sunday.

    Bego said that while the Yobe government was totally in support of the declaration of emergency in the state, it would also like the Federal Government to set up a fund to assist people affected by the insurgency.

    He said that the state government had been cooperating and providing logistics to the Joint Task Force (JTF), tackling the security problems.

    “We have provided more than 200 vehicles to the JTF in addition to paying allowances to the operatives.’’

    He said the state had spent about four billion naira since the insurgency started, describing the insurgency as a big drain on the meagre resources of the state.

    The special adviser also appealed to the Federal Government to provide modern equipment to the security agencies, praising the troops for sticking to rules of engagement.