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Tag: JTF

  • Suspected kidnapping gang leader killed in Ondo

    Suspected kidnapping gang leader killed in Ondo

    •One soldier killed, three others injured 

    Soldiers attached to Operation Delta Safe (ODS), a Joint Task Force (JTF), yesterday killed the suspected leader of a militant group terrorising Ishawo in Ikorodu area of Lagos State and neighbouring creeks.
    The suspected militant leader, Ossy Ibori, was reportedly shot dead at 3 a.m at Ajakpa in Ondo State when he led his gang to attack the troops deployed to protect the area.
    A soldier was killed and three others injured in the operation.
    Security forces were said to have overpowered the militants, killing Ibori during a gun duel.
    Other members of his gang reportedly jumped into the river.
    Sources said the troops recovered weapons from the fleeing criminals.
    Another account said Ibori was lured out of Ishawo creek to Ajakpa with the help of his lover, where the soldiers trailed him to.
    Ossy said to have been the kingpin and among the masterminds of high profile murders and kidnappings within Lagos and Ogun states, allegedly opened fire when he sighted the military men.
    Confirming the incident, Lagos State Police Commissioner Fatai Owoseni said efforts were on to apprehend fleeing members of Ibori’s gang.
    The police chief said most of the militants who fled Lagos creeks because of the current operations, retreated to Ondo, their base.
    He said: “Around 3 a.m today (Monday), a squad of soldiers posted to dislodge the militants who have been wreaking havoc in some parts of Lagos, engaged the criminals in a shootout at Ajakpa. Suspected leader of the gang, known as OC, was killed. Efforts are ongoing to arrest other gang members.”
    JTF spokesman Major Abubakar Abdullahi said: “Troops of Operation Delta Safe (ODS), in line with its mandate to rid Niger Delta of all criminal acts of militancy and kidnappings, in a special operation, repelled an attack on troops’ location around Ajakpa community in the creeks of Southern area of Ondo State last night.
    “The attack was led by one notorious gang leader, Ossy Ibori, with a hideout at Ajakpa in Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State. The (militant) leader was gunned down during the gun duel with some of his gang members. His body was identified by some of the locals.
    “While the search for other criminals who jumped into the water with gunshot wounds is ongoing, troops recovered one AK-47 rifle and four magazines.
    “Criminal gangs, led by late Ossy Ibori have been terrorising parts of Lagos, Ogun and Ondo states prior to this operation. They committed many atrocities, threatening the peace and security of the areas.
    “Last month, the gang killed an Army Captain and four policemen at Ikorodu. Also, late last year, they abducted students and workers of a secondary school. The criminals, in addition, carried out several attacks on Ese-Odo community around Ajakpa, Safarogbo and Balowo areas.
    “The need to flush them out from their hideout became necessary to ensure peace and security in Ondo State. Sadly in the process, one gallant soldier paid the supreme price while three others sustained gunshot wounds. They have since been moved to a military hospital for proper medical attention.
    “While the operation is ongoing, let me appeal to law-abiding residents of the affected communities to remain calm, vigilant and support our troops with valuable information on the whereabouts of other criminals.”

  • One Civilian JTF, three suicide bombers die in Borno explosion

    One Civilian JTF, three suicide bombers die in Borno explosion

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has confirmed the death of four people in late night multiple blasts in Mafa Local Government, outskirts of Maiduguri

    In a statement released by the Head of Media and Public Relation Sani Datti said a civilian JTF lost his life while the other three victims are the suicide bombers.

    He added that two persons were wounded in the blast.

    The statement reads: “One Civilian JTF, three suicide bombers lost their lives and two persons injured in two separate foiled suicide bombs in Usmanti and Kaleri area of Mafa LGA of Borno State.

    “The first incident occurred around 11:55 pm, 24/01/2017 when the suicide bomber was targeting a security outpost in the area but was noticed and neutralised.

    “The second occurred Wednesday, morning during morning Prayer at around 5:30am.  Two suicide bombers a female and a male were trying to enter a mosque while prayer was on, but they were spotted on time by Civilian JTF,” the statement said.

  • Troops kill notorious militants in Bayelsa

    Two suspected notorious militants have been killed in the creeks of Bayelsa State by the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Delta Safe (ODS).

    They were reportedly shot dead when the troops raided and destroyed their camp at Obama flow station in Nembe local government area of the state.

    A statement issued by the Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Centre (JMCC), Lt. Col. Olaolu Daudu, said troops of Sector 2 carried out the raid following a tip-off by locals.

    Daudu identified one of the suspects as a notorious criminal popularly known as Labista.

    Labista, who was on the wanted list of security agencies, was said to be behind high profile kidnapping, killing of security personnel in ambush, piracy, armed robbery and other criminal activities.

    Daudu said:  “Labista” and his cohort dived into the river in a bid to escape while the raid was ongoing and were engaged by troops. At the end of the operation the bodies of two notorious criminals were found floating on water.

    “They were recovered and deposited at government morgue. Items recovered are two single barrel guns, cutlass and four speed boats.”

    He also quoted the Commander, ODS, Rear Admiral Apochi Suleiman, as assuring the people of the region of their safety and security.

    Suleiman also encouraged the people not to condone any form of sabotage, vandalism or acts of criminality because of their negative effects on the environment and economy.

  • ‘JTF recklessly killed our son’

    The family of a boat driver, Mr. Boluozimo Tulagha, who was killed by troops of the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Delta Safe (ODS), has accused the security outfit of recklessness, saying their son was innocent.

    Members of the family, who cried for justice, said the operatives failed the test of professional conduct, alleging that the troops involved in the incident were trigger-happy.

    Boluozimo, 39, was killed on January 13, from three shots allegedly fired by JTF’s operatives at the waterside of Polaku community, Yenagoa local government area of Bayelsa State.

    The 81-year-old father of the deceased, Rev. E.D. Tulagha, described his slain son as well-behaved, responsible without any history of criminality, insisting that he was killed in cold blood.

    Tulagha, a retired school principal, who led his family on a protest march in Yenagoa, said the indiscriminate killing of his ‘innocent’ son was “very patience-absorbing and miserable.”

    He said his murdered son drove speedboats as his means of livelihood for seven years without problems until some youths engaged him in a trip to Odi in Kolokuma-Opokuma local government area of the state.

    He said:  ”On January 13, 2017 they were ready to move to Odi. Boluozimo went into the boat in order to warm the engine. The security men appeared with guns and inadvertently shot Boluozimo’s leg.

    ”He then shouted with uplifted hands and said, ‘I am only a driver; I don’t know anything about them. Do not kill me.

    ”Then the operatives lodged another gunshot on side of his shoulder. He was shouting and crying, ‘Don’t kill me, I am ignorant of anything they are doing.

    ”The security operatives, in the process gave the third gunshot into his bowels and Boluozimo died right in the spot without mercy.

    ”After that, according to information, their boss arrived from a gunboat. He then warned that no gunshot should be made.”

    But Tulagha said there were claims later that the youths who contracted his son for the trip were cultist.

    He, however, said his son had no knowledge of the personalities of the youths, adding that his late son was innocent of whatever the youths represented.

     

     

  • Borno discovers baby factory

    Borno discovers baby factory

    The Borno State Government has discovered a baby factory where children were being sold in the state.

    This was disclosed by the Commissioner for Justice, Mr Kakashehu Lawal, at a press conference in Maiduguri, the state capital on Thursday.

    According to the commissioner, four women alongside the principal suspect were arrested for taking part in the crime.

    He said that the “trend is a notorious fact which occurred in Galadima area in the state capital.’’

    “After the restoration of relative peace in the state capital and its environs, a lot of anti-social activities started to emerge ranging from drug addiction, lawlessness and prostitution.

    “On Sept. 12, 2016, we got an intelligence report by our civilian JTF in Gwange area in the town and we mandated them to arrest a woman who delivered a baby boy and came home without the baby.

    “The suspects were taken to Gwange Police Station because of the magnitude of the crime and were later transferred to the Police CID Department,’’ he said.

    The commissioner said that one baby was recovered and another one was rescued during a raid on the factory at Galadima.

    “Sponsors of the factory were also arrested. The suspects were arraigned before the High Court Number 13.
    “They are now in the maximum prison pending the next court hearing on the matter,’’ he said.

  • JTF tackles militants, vandals, kidnappers in Niger Delta

    JTF tackles militants, vandals, kidnappers in Niger Delta

    Worried by the never-ending destruction of lives and national assets, especially oil installations, by militants and other criminal elements in the Niger Delta, the Federal Government deployed the Joint Task Force to quel the crimes. Mike Odiegwu  examines the activities of the outfit and writes that the Operation Delta Safe (ODS) arm of the JTF is making progress in tackling militancy, vandalism and kidnapping.

    The Operation Delta Safe (ODS) arm of the Joint Task Force (JTF), is  the busiest security formation in the Niger Delta region. Officers and operatives of ODS working hard to live up to the outfit’s mandate of safeguarding the region.

    Insecurity portrays the Niger Delta as the most crime-infested area in the country, after the Northeast. The troops are saddled with the responsibility of ridding the Niger Delta of militancy, pipeline vandalism, kidnapping, piracy and other forms of crimes.

    Every week, troops patrol the difficult, muddy and waterlogged terrains. They invade criminal hideouts, have close shaves with death from enemies of the region who are armed to the teeth.

    Weekly scrutiny of the activities of ODS revealed that the outfit is achieving its mandate in the region.

    Niger Delta Report obtained the following records of the weekly activities of ODS in some of their operations in the region.

     

    Troops against sea pirates 

     

    A statement signed by the Deputy Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Centre (JMCC), Lt. Commander Thomas Otuji, said the troops of Sector 1 in Delta State deployed at Idama waterside received distress calls by members of the community that sea pirates were terrorising them. The troops stormed the community and pursued the criminals.

    The troops sank the pirates’ 200-horse-power speedboat and recovered items such as arms and ammunition, AK 47 rifle, three magazines with 20 x 7.62 millimeters (special) and two live vests.

    The troops then sailed to Kula, Abonnema waterways, following a tip-off and engaged sea pirates near Olakpoko Kula where another gang engaged them in a shootout. Two of the pirates were killed while two others escaped with gunshot wounds. The troops recovered one AK 47 rifle, two AK 47 magazines, 40 x 7.62 millimeter (special), two mobile phones and one speedboat.

     

    War against oil theft: troops reject bribe

     

    In Rivers State, troops of Sector 3 raided an illegal refining camp at Adokiye-Ama community of Okrika Local Government Area. After conducting cordon-and-search operations, they discovered massive illegal refineries.

    They further discovered that the camp belonged to one Mr. George Amah, who is indigenous to Okrika. They destroyed the camp and recovered 33 pumping machines of various sizes, one power generating set; two gas cylinders for welding, five radio chargers and three speedboats.

    The troops, in a separate patrol, also intercepted two wooden Cotonou boats laden with petroleum products. They recovered two welding machines, a power generating set, 10 packs of welding electrolyte, two welding masks, two bags of cement, a bundle of marine rope, four shovels, one hose and five life vests. The troops set the items ablaze.

    In a similar raid around Tangolosusu area of Bonny, the ODS operatives destroyed two illegal refineries and some wooden barges.

    In Delta State, ODS had major breakthroughs as the troops resisted attempts by oil thieves to make them compromise. In what was called static operations, troops arrested one Salisu Mohammed Zayyan, a driver of an Iveco petrol tanker with plate number Katsina KNK 151 XA.

    The tanker was laden with 33,000 liters of substances suspected to be illegally-refined Automated Gas Oil (AGO).

    It was arrested at Otovwodo, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.

    The suspect reportedly loaded the illegal product from a creek in Port Harcourt and was heading to Zamafara State when he was arrested. While the waybill indicated that the tanker was loaded with Petrol Motor Spirit (PMS), on close examination, it was actually loaded with AGO.

    Another suspect identified as Kesiena Oloya was arrested by the ODS along Jeremi Junction, Ughelli South Local Government Area. He had in his possession 35 gallons filled with AGO. The suspect allegedly attempted to bribe the troops with N29, 000, but his offer was turned down.

    His Nokia mobile phone and two Vento cars with registration numbers GB 393 AA and BUR 151 AA were seized and burnt by the troops. He was later handed over to the A Division of the Nigeria Police in Ughelli.

    The Eagle-eyed troops also foiled an attempt by oil thieves to use escort vehicles as a decoy to transport stolen AGO. One of the vehicles had an escort tag as its plate number while the other had registration number WWR 24 AL.

    Otuji in the statement said: “They were carrying 8×300 litres and 12×60 litres of plastic drums and jerry cans of suspected illegally-refined AGO.

    “It was gathered that the intention of the occupants of the vehicles was to evade scrutiny by troops.”

    Similarly, the troops, in conjunction with members of Petroleum Task Force, raided two illegal oil-bunkering dumps at Ugwuangwe in Warri South Local Government Area and Udu Local Government Area. The sites were reportedly used as dump and piling camps before reloading into petroleum tankers. Items such as rubbers, hose and jerry cans were recovered and destroyed.

     

    War against militants and kidnappers

     

    The ODS continued its operations against a militant group operating in the creeks of Bakassi and Cross River State. In collaboration with some vigilance groups, the security operatives ambushed and killed five members of the Bakassi Strike Force (BSF)

    ODS’ statement said: “The suspected militants had earlier hijacked a boat conveying large quantity of rice from a marketer at Parrot Island in Bakassi Local Government Area.

    “The owner of the goods was asked to pay N500, 000 as ransom. The militants were at the point of collecting the ransom before they were encountered by the troops. Similarly, troops arrested two suspected militants of Bakassi Strike Force and a suspected cultist in Ikot Ene, Akpabayo Local Government Area and apprehended another high-profile suspected member of the Bakassi Strike Force militant known as Ekpo (alias Short Gun) at Resettlement Centre Road, 27, Obot Tom Road in Bakassi.”

    Besides, operatives of ODS, in conjunction with Nigeria Police and vigilance group rescued a kidnap victim, Chief Matron of  Ughelli Central Hospital, one Mrs. Patience Abere who was abducted at her residence, Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State, on October 19.

    “The matron was abducted by three notorious armed men in her Kia Soul car with registration number AS 609 UGH. One of the suspects, Mr. Innocent Egboboh, was apprehended while two of the abductors fled on sighting the troops. Two locally-made pistols and three live cartridges  were recovered from the criminals.

    “Troops of  Sector 1  also  trailed and arrested  suspected  kidnappers, one Mr. Simon Agbabule and  his  accomplices at Okwugbude Community in Okpe Local  Government Area, Delta State.

    “The criminals were on their way to kidnap a victim when the troops monitored and swung on them. Items recovered included one AK 47 rifle, two magazines and 49 x 7.62 millimeters (special) ammunition.

    “It has come to the notice of Operation Delta Safe that criminals hide under names of reputable companies by using their vehicles/trucks to perpetuate crimes.

    “We appreciate the untiring support of members of the public for providing timely pieces of information to the troops. We are resolute that no amount of inducement by recalcitrant criminals will compromise our resilient troops from ridding the region of economic saboteurs.”

  • JTF averts bombing of Agip pipeline in Bayelsa, arrests 19

    JTF averts bombing of Agip pipeline in Bayelsa, arrests 19

    Troops of the Joint Force (JF), Operation Pulo Shield, have averted an attempt by suspected vandals to bomb pipelines belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) Okpoama, Brass Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.

    The Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Centre (JMCC), Col. Ado Isa, in a statement yesterday, said the suspects planted dynamites beneath the pipeline location in a swamp before the troops discovered it.

    He named the items recovered from the scene as two dynamite detonators, cable wire and battery.

    Isa said the troops deployed in Ogbia Local Government Area of the state carried out anti-illegal oil bunkering patrol and cordon-and-search operation around Ebelebiri and Agba communities.

    During the operation, he said, six suspected pipeline vandals were arrested along with eight Cotonou boats loaded with illegally acquired crude oil.

    He said the sites and the recovered items were destroyed immediately while the suspects were handed over to the prosecuting agency.

    Isa said: “On same day, OPS troops, in continuation of its raid on suspected pipeline vandals’ camps, carried out cordon-and-search operation in Oporoma Community of Delta State.

    “Ten suspected pipeline vandals were arrested during the operation and the following items were recovered from them: one pistol, 195 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, 14 handheld radio sets, diving equipment, personal computer, IPAD, 30 detonating codes and several cell phones with SIM cards belonging to telecoms companies, among others.”

    Isa further said that the maritime component of the force and the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS Delta) on June 14 arrested three suspected coordinators of many pipeline bombings across the region.

    He said one of the arrested suspects, John Oboka, aka Jamaica, confessed to being part of the group that bombed the Nigerian Petroleum Developing Company crude oil pipeline at Escravos, in Warri South-West LGA of Delta State.

    He said bombing equipment was recovered from the bombers and assured the people of the region of the outfit’s commitment and determination to rid the Niger Delta of the activities of hoodlums.

    Isa said the joint force would continue to clamp down on fleeing criminals including pipeline vandals and intensify efforts to dismantle all militant camps in the region.

    He warned those behind heinous act of bombing of critical installations in the region to have a rethink and toe the line of peace by adopting a legitimate means to address their grievances instead of taking the law into their hands.

  • Borno unfolds post insurgency plans for Civilian JTF

    The Borno Government said on Monday that it had produced a blue print for full engagement of an estimated 20, 000 local vigilantes, called the Civilian JTF, after the Boko Haram insurgency.

    Alhaji Kakashehu Lawan, the Commissioner of Justice stated this while speaking with newsmen in Maiduguri.

    Lawan was reacting to fears expressed by residents of the state that the unemployed vigilantes may become another security threat during post insurgency era.

    “His Excellency, Gov. Kashim Shettima has developed a blue print for the post Boko Haram insurgency era in the state.

    “One of the agenda on the blue print is youth integration, which encapsulates all youths in the state including members of the civilian JTF,” he said.

    Lawan said that the blue print made provision for the creation of a youth empowerment agency to cater for the members of the civilian JTF.

    “Already, a law has been passed by the Borno House of Assembly known as Youth Vigilante Empowerment Agency Law 2015, to cater for job creation particularly targeting members of the group.

    “The agency is expected to engage members of the group by providing different kinds of jobs for them,” he said.

    Lawan added that the state government had also made contact with the Nigerian Army authorities to enlist those qualified into the service.

    “What we have done as a government is to liaise with the Nigerian Army high command to have a large chunk of them recruited into the army,” he said.

    Lawan said that government also planned to recruit some of them as fire fighters in the state.

    “We are also working on plans to recruit between 500 and 1, 000 of them as fire fighters in the state department of fire service.

    “We also have plans to engage about 500 of them as Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO),” he said.

    Lawan said that those who possessed higher educational qualification will be absorbed into the state civil service.

    “Those who are graduates and National Certificate In Education (NCE) Certificate holders will be absorbed into the State Civil Service,” he said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Civilian JTF which emerged in 2013 had helped greatly in developing effective community policing and enhancing the fight against Boko Haram in the state.

     

  • JTF: Nigeria needs entire army to man oil facilities

    JTF: Nigeria needs entire army to man oil facilities

    Nigeria needs an entire army to man its oil and gas assets, Commanding Officer of the 3 Battalion, Effurun, Lt Col Igwe Omoke, has said.

    Lt.-Col. Omoke spoke when members of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Gas Resources visited the Nigeria Gas Company (NGC), in Warri, at the weekend.

    He said the criminal justice system was an obstacle to efforts to protect critical national assets.

    Lt.-Col Omoke, who took the lawmakers, led by the committee’s Chairman, Fredrick Agbedi, on a tour of the devastated Egwa 1 gas pipeline in Warri South West, said communities must guard oil facilities.

    He said: “I think the issue is to find a holistic approach to dealing with this kind of situation and I am sure that your presence here is to kickstart the process of dealing holistically with this problem. When the incident happened, I dashed to Egwa 1. One thing that struck me was how can such a critical infrastructure not be manned? When we say we can do more, I think that is where it comes to play.

    “It is vast; we are just talking about NGC, we have the SPDC, we have the Chevron, we have the Agip, so many of them with their pipelines crisscrossing the entire Niger Delta. So I want to say, Sir, that it will take an army, not a division, to man these pipelines. We also take care of other things.

    “I can tell you that in the last one week I have received about 21 petitions, notifying the multinational companies of their intentions, I mean the communities writing to me, copying me their letters to the multinational oil companies, telling me their intentions to stop the activities of the multinational companies, as either not to pump crude or to stop their workers from coming to work, because of allegations, ranging from their inability to meet up with their GMOU to other things.

    “When you say we should man those places, I think the army is doing its best. Immediately that thing happened, the first thing I did was to locate other critical areas, vulnerable points and man them. I asked the multinational companies to tell me other places , such as Egwa 1 Manifold that is not manned so that I can place my soldiers and that was what we did. You will recall that from then till now, we have not recorded any subsequent one, especially in those critical areas.”

    The committee condemned the recent destruction of oil and gas facilities in the creeks of Delta State, describing it as criminal and unacceptable.

    Agbedi, who spoke on behalf of the committee, urged the NGC to table its constraints, especially in the area of vandalism, promising to help the company in solving its problems.

    The Managing Director of the NGC, Babatunde Bakare, lamented the constant destruction of the company’s pipeline, describing it as a major challenge, to which the nation recently lost  some 500 million mcf.

  • Attacks on pipeline threaten national security, says JTF

    Attacks on pipeline threaten national security, says JTF

    The Operation Pulo Shield (OPS) formerly known as the Joint Task Force (JTF) has said that the recent multiple attacks on pipelines in the Niger Delta region was capable of undermining national security.

    The Commander Operation, OPS, Maj.Gen. Alani Okunlola, threatened to hold community leaders in the Niger Delta region responsible for any attack on oil installations within their domains.

    Okunola in a statement signed, Monday, by the Media Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Cantre (JMCC), Col. Isa Ado, said it would no longer tolerate any act of sabotage against oil facilities.

    “This warning is coming as a result of recent multiple attacks on oil facilities and platforms by suspected militants in the Niger Delta  Region,” he said.

    Describing the act as criminal, the commander called on government officials and the community leaders to give OPS and other security agencies useful information that would lead to the arrest and prosecution of perpetrators.

    Okunlola assured the Niger Delta residents of the determination of OPS to wipe out all acts of illegalities in the region.

    He warned perpetrators of the crime to desist from further destruction of oil facilities or be ready to face the consequences.

    He also assured that the troops would soon arrest the criminals and bring them to book adding that the extant law banning the use of outboard engines with 200HP and above would be strictly enforced in the region.