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Tag: JTF

  • JTF: we’ll fish out pipeline attackers

    JTF: we’ll fish out pipeline attackers

    The Joint Task Force (JTF) has vowed to identify those responsible for the multiple armed attacks on strategic oil and gas pipelines in Delta State.

    The Commander of the JTF, Major-General Alani Gafar Okunola, who led other military officers and men to some of the sites of the destruction yesterday, said the government would hold leaders of the communities where acts of sabotage take place responsible.

    Speaking at the site of the  destroyed Egwa 1 in Warri South-West, council area of Delta State, Gen. Okunlola described the recent resurgence of militant activities as unacceptable, vowing that those behind it would be brought to book.

    At the site visited, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were used to bomb pipelines owned by the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC) and the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

    Gen. Okunlola said:  “The pipeline was blown up three days ago. We are going to fish out those responsible. It is a national sabotage and critical asset. There is no way we can fold our hands and allow the perpetrators to get away with it.”

    Gen. Okunola was accompanied on the visit by Brigadier General F Yahaya, Commodere Raimi Mohammed (Commander, NNS Delta), Lt. Col. Igwe Patrick Omoke (Commander, 3 Battalion, Effurun.)

    Also, theNavy said it had contained the activities of armed militants who attacked strategic oil and gas facilities in parts of riverine Delta State.

    Commander of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Delta, Commodore Raimi Mohammed,  said measures to ensure safety in the waterways and security of lives and properties had been outlined for those traversing the waterways had been put in place.

    According to the naval commander, security forces had mounted a response operation, which had stalled further destruction of oil and gas pipelines within the creeks.

    He said no destruction had happened since Saturday night.

    He warned those behind the destructive activities in Warri South-West council area of Delta state and other locations, saying those caught would be made to face the law.

    “We have been on it, trying to make sure that we contain it; at least last night (Saturday night/early Sunday) we had peace and we want to maintain that momentum. No place was blown up last night. We have actually blocked all the places they come out from, which they move through, they can’t come out at night and we hope to keep it that way.

    “Those behind these attacks should know that it’s not in the interest of the communities where they are from or in the interest of the nation, they have to be very careful. Anybody caught will face to full weight of the law”, he said.

    On whether the security forces had managed to contain the attackers effectively, he said “no one can give you such blanket assurance, we are just doing our best and making sure that it doesn’t happen again”.

    Commodore Mohammed said: “Boats using engines from 200 horse power or more are henceforth restricted from plying the waterways. Also, all movements in the waterways, after sunset, are also banned. We shall start enforcing these orders.”

  • JTF arrest three militants, vandals in Delta

    JTF arrest three militants, vandals in Delta

    Troops of Operation Pulo Shield (OPS), formerly known as Joint Task Force (JTF) have nabbed three suspected militants and vandals following a raid on active camps located in the creeks of Delta State.

    The troops also recovered explosives identified as dynamites and cache of arms from the suspected militants and vandals who operated along the Benin River and adjoining creeks in Itagbene, Warri North Local Government Area, Delta State.

    Parading the suspects and the arms at the OPS Headquarters, Yenagoa, on Thursday, the Commander, OPS, Maj.-Gen. Alani Okunlola, named them as Mako Ajigidi, a.k.a Sorsor, Godspower Alebi and Okiti Ariri.

    He listed the recovered arms as one Light Machine Gun (LMG), five AK47 rifles, one G3 rifle, one LAR rifle, 20 AK47 magazines, 415 rounds special and other ammunition.

    He said 10 explosives identified as dynamites and bundles of detonating cords were also impounded from the militants.

    Okunlola said the feat was achieved through ongoing intensive patrols and raids of suspected militants’ camps.

    He said:”The operation is a continuous one aimed at recovering all illegally acquired arms that have found their way into the Niger Delta region.

    “l call on the good people of the Niger Delta region to key into our zero tolerance campaign against illegalities  and also give useful information that will aid troops to track and arrest miscreants.”

    He said the joint force remained ever determined to fight against crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism and other criminal activities in the Niger Delta region.

  • JTF raids militant camp in Delta, seizes arms, ammunition, explosives

    Security operatives of the Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta, ‘Operation Pulo Shield,’ in the early hours of yesterday sacked and seized a militant camp in Beniboye, Burutu local government area of Delta State.

    Although details of the operation were still sketchy at press time, it was gathered that a huge cache of arms, ammunition and explosives were recovered from the fighters.

    Residents of nearby Odimodi community said the military encountered stiff resistance from the militant group identified as Red Beret, who were reportedly mobilising with fighters from nearby Rivers and Bayelsa states to attack the community.

    “There were sporadic shooting and heavy explosions during the operation that lasted well over four hours,” one source told our reporter.

    Armed gang from the camp had recently overrun Odimodi community.

    There were also concerns that the activities of the gang were threatening the peace and security of communities in the area and the operations of Shell Petroleum Development Company’s Forcados crude export terminal.

    JTF’s Joint Media Campaign Coordinator, Lt Colonel Isa Ado, who was contacted by our reporter, would neither confirm nor deny the report.

    While saying he wasn’t aware of the details of the operation, Lt Col Ado promised to give details, if there was indeed any operation in the area.

    However, a usually reliable source who is conversant with the operation, said it started at about 2am  yesterday and lasted till around 6am when the recalcitrant gang members were over powered.

    The interim chairman of Odimodi Community, Chief Elex Pukon, whose house was among several ravaged in an attack on the community on Monday, confirmed the report.

    He fingered some disgruntled members of the community as sponsors of the gang alleged led by one Sanomon.

  • JTF raids militant camp in Delta, seize arms, ammunition

    Security operatives of the Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta, ‘Operation Pulo Shield’ in the early hours of Saturday sacked and seized a militant camp in Beniboye, Burutu local government area of Delta state.
    Although details of the operation were still sketchy at press time, it was gathered that a huge cache of arms, ammunition and explosives were recovered from the fighters.
    Residents of nearby Odimodi community said the military encountered stiff resistance from the militant group identified as Red Beret, who were reportedly mobilising with fighters from nearby Rivers and Bayelsa states to attack the community.
    “There were sporadic shooting and heavy explosions during the operation that lasted well over four hours,” one source told our reporter.
    It would be recalled that armed gang from the camp recently overran Odimodi community.
    There were also concerns that the activities of the gang was threatening the peace and security of communities in the area and the operations of Shell Petroleum Development Company’s Forcados crude export terminal.
    JTF’s Joint Media Campaign Coordinator, Lt Colonel Isa Ado, who was contacted by our reporter, could neither confirm nor deny the report.
    While saying he wasn’t aware of the details of the operation, Lt Col Ado promised to give details, if there was indeed any operation in the area.
    However, a usually reliable source who is conversant with the operation, said it started at about 2am on Saturday and lasted till around 6am when the recalcitrant gang members were over powered.
    The interim chairman of Odimodi Community, Chief Elex Pukon, whose house was among several ravaged in an attack on the community on Monday, confirmed the report.
    He fingered some disgruntled members of the community as sponsors of the gang alleged led by one Sanomon.

  • JTF gets new commander

    JTF gets new commander

     Major-General Alani Okunola has assumed office as the Commander of the Niger Delta Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Pulo Shield, at its headquarters in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.

    Okunola took over yesterday from Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Atewe, who commanded the outfit for 18 months.

    After a brief takeover ceremony, Okunola pledged to approach his duty with commitment.

    The new JTF commander said the fight against oil theft was critical to the nation’s economy.

    He urged the various stakeholders, including oil producing communities, multinational oil companies, JTF troops and other security agencies, to ensure steady oil production and reduce pipeline vandalism and other oil-related theft.

    Okunola, who was formerly the Chief of Training (Army) at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja, hailed Atewe for his exemplary leadership qualities, adding that the ex-JTF chief had always been his mentor.

    He said: “May I plead with Maj.-Gen. Atewe to always receive me with open arms whenever I come running for help and advice. Please, remember me in the Promised Land.

    “May I also solicit the cooperation of officers and men of the task force for all of us to work in unity and move the JTF to a greater level.”

    Atewe urged JTF officers and men to extend the support he enjoyed to the new commander.

    He said the Bayelsa communities were hospitable in the fight against oil theft, illegal oil bunkering and sundry crimes.

  • Niger Delta: JTF arrests 21 oil thieves

    Niger Delta: JTF arrests 21 oil thieves

    … Destroys illegal oil bunkering sites

    The Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta, Operation Pulo Shield, has arrested 21 suspected oil thieves, destroyed illegal oil bunkering sites in multiple raids in the region.

    This is contained in a statement by Lt.-Col. Ado Isa, Media Coordinator of JTF, in Yenagoa on Thursday.

    Isa said the raids were conducted within 10 days.

    Isa said that troops deployed to Oka pipeline in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of Edo impounded an illegal oil bunkering truck with registration number EDO BEN 117 ZN.

    He said that the truck loaded with 16 plastic tanks of 1500 litres capacity was siphoning illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) at the time of arrest.

    The spokesman said the products estimated to be about 24,000 litres were suspected to have been illegally siphoned from the NNPC pipeline.

    He added that some of the vandals fled prior to the arrival of the troops while the truck was in the custody of the JTF for further investigation.

    He said some of the arrested were made at Ughelli-Warri and Orerokpe Community in Okpe and Ughelli North Local Government Areas of Delta.

    The spokesman said that items recovered from the suspects were rolls of stolen armored cable, two circuit breaker, 12 cutouts, two saw blades and bags of substances suspected to be Indian hemp.

    Isa said the recovered items were in JTF custody and would be handed over to the prosecuting agency after the preliminary investigations.
    He said JTF troops also apprehended an illegal oil bunkering tanker laden with 33,000 litres of substances suspected to be illegally refined AGO.

    Isa further said that five suspects were arrested while trying to flee the scene, while the truck was impounded.

    The spokesman said also that a notorious suspected kidnapper was arrested in connection with the kidnap of one Mrs Ufoma James.

    He said that the suspect was arrested at Oghara in Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta.

    Similarly, he said Sector 2 of the JTF operating on Gbenekrukru general area of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa, destroyed six illegal bunkering sites where oil thieves operated.

    He listed items found and destroyed at the site to included four storage tanks, illegal oil storage pits and drums filled with illegally acquired AGO, hoses and pumping machine.

  • JTF warns vessel owners against oil theft

    To boost the Federal Government’s efforts of curbing oil theft and illegal oil bunkering, the Joint Task Force(JTF) has said it would not hesitate to destroy vessels used for oil related crimes.

    To this end, JTF has warned vessel and barge owners against allowing people to use their vessels for nefarious activities in the Niger Delta region.

    The  outgoing  Commander JTF, Major General Emmanuel Atewe, in a statement,  said failure of vessel owners to ascertain the purpose for which people are borrowing their barges could land them into trouble.

    He said the development became necessary in order to curb oil theft, which has resulted in the loss of an estimated $10billon in Nigeria. He said: “In line with zero tolerance campaign against oil theft declared by JTF and the decision of the Federal Government to curb the crime and save the country a lot of money, we are warning vessel owners against lending out their barges to people they could not vouch for their honesty. The punishment for them is in stages. We will destroy their vessels and also ensure that they are prosecuted in a law court to serve as deterrent to others.”

    He said oil related criminalities in the region and the country in particular must be eradicated to save Nigeria from losing more money. According to him, criminals have caused untold damage to the nation’s economy considering the numerous vandalised pipes, which has resulted in refineries’ poor output, and billions of naira spent on importation of petroleum products by marketers, and others.

    “That is why Nigeria needs modular refineries to compliment the four major refineries in the country.

  • JTF commander brokers peace between firm, host community

    JTF commander brokers peace between firm, host community

    The Commander, Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta, Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Atewe, has brokered peace between the Okomu Oil Palm Plantation and the Okomu Community in Edo.

    A statement yesterday in Yenagoa by the spokesman of the JTF, Lt.-Col Isa Ado,  said the two parties had been at quarelling for many years.

    The community had accused the company of neglect and environmental pollution without compensation and non-employment of Okomu citizens.

    Anka said the reconciliation of the feuding parties by the commander followed several meetings at the Headquarters of the JTF and in Okomu town.

    The statement quoted the traditional ruler of the community and the Apoi of Okomu Ijaw, Dr Biowei Yuyu, as thanking the commander for the reconciliation and promised to maintain the agreement accord reached.

    The Managing Director of Okomu Palm Company, Dr Graham Hefer, thanked Atewe for mediating in the dispute, which he said had affected the production of the company for some time.

    The statement said the commander and the traditional ruler also inaugurated a nine-member Development Council to oversee affairs between the company and the community.

    “It was agreed that the company should withdraw all pending litigations against the community immediately and put the two borehole sunk for the benefit of the community in good working condition.

    “The company also promised to provide job opportunities to qualified indigenes of the community,’’ it said.

    Anka said that the commander of the JTF also promised to sink an additional borehole to complement the two already donated by the company.

  • JTF provides water, rebuilds abandoned school in Bayelsa communities

    JTF provides water, rebuilds abandoned school in Bayelsa communities

    The people of Koluama II and Igbomotoru 1 in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, will forever remain grateful to the Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Atewe-led Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Pulo Shield. The commander has deployed carrot-and-stick approach to tackle oil theft.

    Igbomotoru will never speak ill of JTF. Maj. Gen. Atewe has been kind to the community, initially known as the hotbed of oil-related crimes in the state. He has visited the community three times within a year. Each time he visited, the JTF commander would solve a pressing social and economic problem in the community.

    In his first visit, Maj. Gen. Atewe was only there for a sensitisation campaign as part of JTF’s efforts to stop economic sabotage. But the people then complained that their source of drinking water had been polluted. They demanded potable water from the JTF and the commander gladly promised to provide water for them.

    The task force fulfilled its promise without delay. The commander returned to the community and inaugurated boreholes which have become the people’s only source of water. While he was commissioning the borehole, the commander discovered that the Baptist Day Primary School in the community had no roofs. The roofs were blown off by rainstorm 11 years ago and the building had remained like that since then. He immediately promised to fix the roofs and renovate the buildings.

    So, in his third coming, the JTF landed at the jetty in a convoy of four gunboats. It was a carnival-like occasion as the people trooped out en masse to give the army chief a rousing reception.  To the people of Igbomotoru, Maj. Gen. tewe and his JTF is the only government they can identify with. He has shown them much love and concern.

    The people were glad and they expressed it. The JTF boss has done what their representatives in all levels of government could not do. The pupils of the renovated school could not hide their affection for the military officer. They came out bearing placards and singing songs to celebrate the day.

    “Commander Sir, you are God-sent, you are our savior”, “Maj. Gen. E.J Atewe, the sky should be your limit, you are welcome”, were some of the messages on the placards. It was indeed, a heroic welcome.

    Men and women whom the JTF donated fishing nets and sewing machine to were seen flocking around Atewe in appreciation. Others tabled more requests for empowerment before the JTF boss.

    Atewe did not just renovate the school buildings, he also furnished them 400 desks for the pupils who hitherto sat on bare floor for tutorial. The school now looks beautiful beaming in green aluminum zinc and paintings.

    The Community Development Committee (CDC) Chairman, Mr. Godspower Okosufa, poured encomiums on Atewe.

    He said:  “Our dynamic and amiable JTF Commander of the Niger Delta, we welcome you to our great communities for the third time. Your first step to our kingdom was based on oil theft and illegal bunkering. We identify your coming as God-sent to eradicate pains and problems that we are encountering in our communities.

    “Four about 16 years ago, we have not experienced development till the days of this God-sent, helper and the comforter, who has changed Igbomotoru. You sent medical team to solve our health problems both present and future, sank borehole for the students and the entire community.

    “You identified with some poor women by buying sewing machines and fishing nets for them. You purchased football kits for youth empowerment and also prepared school chairs for your renovated primary school building.

    “You have comforted the pupils with conducive environment for studies. The primary school had been dilapidated by rain storm for about twelve years ago. Pupils have been using ordinary floor as desks and chairs”.

    In fact, the community insisted on conferring on Maj. Gen. Atewe a chieftaincy title, “the Ibemiewei of West Bomo Kingdom”, saying he had “done what Napoleon could not do”. The community also called on the JTF Commander to prevail on Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) to reactivate the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) it reached with them as a host community.

    The Head Teacher of the renovated school, Mrs. Apa Clement showered praises on the commander.

    She said: “This community has suffered a lot of setbacks, due to lack of infrastructure and power. You are God-sent, if only we have just one person like you, this community would have grown in geometric progression.”

    The highpoint of the event was a novelty football match between Igbomoloru I and II in honour of Maj. Gen. Atewe who provided both football teams with complete jersey and boots.

    JTF did not stop at Igbomotoru. The outfit headed for Koluama II community. Atewe is aware of the economic hardship confronting the people of the community especially after the 2012 Chevron blowout. The community lacks basic amenities including drinkable water. Therefore, in his carrot-and-stick approach of tacking oil theft, the JTF commander decided to provide the most essential needs of the community which could force its people to engage in illegal oil bunkering, kidnapping and piracy.

    Undoubtedly, the people heaved a sigh of relief after Atewe and members of his team inaugurated boreholes to give them a source of potable water. The residents jubilated and danced in appreciation.

    Maj. Gen. Atewe told the crowd the reasons for JTF’s interventions. He said:  “You may not know why Koluama became very close to the JTF. It has to do with the problem Koluama had with Chevron where the youths went and occupy the oil and gas platform because of none response from Chevron, and the challenge that has to do with the platform that got blown-off some time ago.

    “It was indeed a big problem that would have led to the damage of the Chevron platform but we invited both Chevron and Koluama community and held meetings more than five times.

    “One thing I discovered during, the meeting is that the Koluama people are very peace loving, they co-operated with us in ensuring that peace was maintained between Chevron and the community.

    “In our own token way of saying thank you for the understanding and your support in our fight against illegal oil bunkering, we decided to erect this borehole as a mark of our love for your support.”

    The project was commissioned by the Deputy Governor of the state, Rear Admiral John Jonah (retd) who was represented by the Commissioner for Special Duties, Bayelsa Central District, Mr. Alamene Williams. He described the gesture as unprecedented.

     

  • JTF smashes 32 illegal refineries in Warri

    JTF smashes 32 illegal refineries in Warri

    The Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Pulo Shield, said yesterday it had destroyed 32 illegal refineries in Warri Southwest Local Government Area of Delta State as part of its war against oil theft.

    The JTF’s Sector I in Warri said it would continue the operation until oil thieves and their sponsors are rooted out.

    The Coordinator of Joint Media Campaign Centre, Lt.-Col. Isa Ado, addressed reporters yesterday at the 3 Infantry Battalion of the Nigerian Army at Effurun Barracks, Warri, Delta State.

    He said 86 drums, 27 pits and 25 surface tanks, all containing substances suspected to be stolen crude oil, were discovered during the operation.

    Ado, who represented JTF’s Commander of Operation Pulo Shield, Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Jebe Atewe, said 29 local ovens and 10 water pumping machines were also found at the various illegal refining sites.