The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Operation Delta Safe

  • Troops seize 21m ltrs, 210 metric tons of stolen crude

    Troops seize 21m ltrs, 210 metric tons of stolen crude

    Troops of  Operation Delta Safe (OPDS) and personnel of the Nigerian Navy ship (NNS) Pathfinder recovered 21,783,310  litres of stolen crude from different locations in the Niger Delta in the first quarters of this year.

    Two hundred and ten metric tons (210,000 litres) of the product were stolen through a compromised oil wellhead owned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) in a  Rivers State community while 21, 573, 310 litres were illegally siphoned from various sites across the oil-rich region.

    Director of  Defence Media Operations, Maj -Gen. Edward Buba and Commander of  NNS Pathfinder, Commodore Desmond Igbo,  made these known to reporters yesterday.

    Gen. Buba, who put the value of the 21, 573, 310- litre stolen crude at N20 billion, added that  the troops   seized  723,430 litres of illegally refined diesel, 53,300 litres of kerosene and 52,730 litres of petrol from illegal refiners in the   region.

    He  said   that  25 suspected oil thieves and other criminal elements  were arrested in the region  and  2,308 terror suspects held  during the period.

    Read Also: FULL LIST: Jail term, fine, other consequences for mutilation, abuse of naira notes

    No fewer than 1,241 kidnap victims were rescued by the troops who neutralised major suspected terrorists.

    Among the killed terror kingpins  are the  Head of Is-Al Furqan Province (ISGS and ISWAP),   Abu Bilal Minuki (aka Abubakar Mainok)   and Haruna Boderi.

    Others are Kachallah Damina , who was  neutralised   alongside over “50 combatants,”  Kachallah   Dayi, Kachallah Idi,  Kachallah Kabiru,   Kachallah Azarailu, Kachallah Balejo, Kachallah Ubangida, and Alhaji Baldu.

    Gen. Buba added that  the  troops were able to  recover 1,497 AK47 rifles, 33,878 rounds of   special ammunition, 12,698 rounds   NATO, 948 assorted arms and 5,520 assorted ammunition.

    He said: ”The  military is raising the bar in the prosecution of the war. Consequently, citizens will continue to witness incremental effectiveness and efficiency of the armed forces.

    “The  military is ready, prepared, equipped and focused on what to do with   terrorists and their cohorts.

    “We have been collecting intelligence, hunting them and striking them where they  hide  and hibernate. We  have employed significant firepower to neutralise several terrorists and disrupt their activities.”

    In Rivers State, Commodore   Igbo  revealed to reporters that    14 suspected oil thieves were arrested at a refining  site  close to  where the 210 metric tons of  crude were stolen.

    The   site in Elem-Krakama   in Degema Local Government Area, according to him, is capable of producing over 9 million litres of diesel daily .

    Four wooden boats with a storage capacity of 7,000 metric tones, were also   seized  from the criminals.

    The  boats commonly known as Cotonou boats   were used to siphon crude from the head of the  compromised the oil well (OML) 18.   

    Igbo  added that the site had 16 cooking pots  that could  contain 6,000 litres of desiel each.  

    He  said:  “This is Elem-Krakama in Degema LGA of Rivers State, we have come here to ensure that this oil stealing will not continue.

    “We have about 16 cooking pots and some of them contain about 6, 000 litres of product. It is very quite huge, as you can see where they are tapping it right from the oil wellhead belonging to NNPCL.  .

    “We   arrested about 14  persons  in the act of stealing the crude and also illegally refining this crude.

    “The  oil well head 15,   OML 18  belongs to the  NNPCL. You can see a very big 14-inch hose connected illegally to this oil well head 15. They are transferring it to this big wooden boat also known as the Cotonou boat.

    “The boats contain 70 metric tons of crude oil.We have four of these(  boats) in this camp. The cooking pots also contain about 1.5  million litres of  AGO. This is not good for our country, not good for the economy.” 

  • JTF tasks promoted officers on professionalism

    JTF tasks promoted officers on professionalism

    The Commander, Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Delta Safe (ODS), Rear Admiral Suleiman Apochi, has tasked four promoted military officers in his command to apply professionalism in discharging the mandate of the security outfit.

    Apochi spoke recently at the headquarters of ODS in Igbogene, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, when the officers were decorated with their new ranks following their  promotions.

    The headquarters of ODS in Igbogene, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, was a beehive as friends, spouses and relations of the beneficiaries trooped out to witness the formal decorations of the officers recognised for their sacrifices.

    The guests watched with excitement as the Commander ODS, Rear Admiral Suleiman Apochi presented Col. M.U. Muktar, and Lieutenant Commanders Thomas Otuji, Obiora Anyikwa and Roy Nweke with their new ranks.

    Muktar, the Sector 4 Commander, ODS in Delta State, was decorated with the rank of Brigadier-General while Anyikwa, Otuji and Obiora got their new ranks of Naval Commanders. The brand new Commander Anyikwa heads the Legal Department of ODS while Otuji was a former Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Office (JMCC).

    Apochi urged them to be of good conduct and view their new ranks as added responsibilities. He said promotion was divine and appealed to other officers to work, pray and wait for their time of elevation.

    The promoted officers, who spoke through Brig.Gen. Muktar, thanked President Muhammadu Buhari, the Services Chiefs especially the chiefs of the Navy and the Army for considering them worthy of the promotions.

    He said they were conscious of the responsibilities attached to their new ranks and vowed to meet and exceed all expectations of their new positions. He specifically thanked Rear Admiral Suleiman Apochi and Gen. A. Aligbe, saying without their guidance and support the promotions would never had seen the light of the day.

    Muktar appreciated their wives and other family members for their sacrifices in ensuring that their elevation sailed through. He recalled how his uncle encouraged him to join the army. He said having failed on two occasions to gain admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), he gave up the ambition.

    But the general said: “My uncle, Alhaji Suleiman, particular encouraged me to still try again for the third time. I failed to get admission into the Nigeria Defence Academy for the second time. I made up my mind that I was not going to try again.

    “I visited my uncle in Sokoto and that time he mentioned it and said, ‘why don’t you want to apply again? It doesn’t matter, try again’.  I heeded his advice and glory to the Almighty God, today here we are witnessing my decoration to the rank of Brigadier-General”.

    He prayed that those, He could not make the present promotion be considered in the next batch. He asked yet-to-be-promoted officers to be steadfast believing that their time of promotion would surely come.

    “Our prayer is for all those who missed the promotion this time, will get it next time coz truly God knows the best. Our prayer is that you will get it at the time it is most pleasing to the almighty God.

    “I want to assure everyone that we are conscious of the added responsibility and the expectations of greater efforts signalled by this promotion and I assure you we will spare no effort in meeting and indeed exceeding the expectations that come with this rank,” he said.

     

  • Jubilation as JTF decorates promoted officers

    Jubilation as JTF decorates promoted officers

    It was a day of joy for military officers serving at the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Delta Safe (ODS). Four of them were decorated following their recent promotions by President Muhammadu Buhari and the Service Chiefs.

    The headquarters of ODS in Igbogene, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, was a beehive as friends, spouses and relations of the beneficiaries trooped out to witness the formal decorations of the officers recognised for their sacrifices.

    The guests watched with excitement as the Commander ODS, Rear Admiral Suleiman Apochi presented Col. M.U. Muktar, and Lieutenant Commanders Thomas Otuji, Obiora Anyikwa and Roy Nweke with their new ranks.

    Muktar, the Sector 4 Commander, ODS in Delta State, was decorated with the rank of Brigadier-General while Anyikwa, Otuji and Obiora got their new ranks of Naval Commanders. The brand new Commander Anyikwa heads the Legal Department of ODS while Otuji was a former Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Office (JMCC).

    Apochi urged the promoted officers to be of good conduct and view their new ranks as added responsibilities. He said promotion was divine and appealed to other officers to work, pray and wait for their time of elevation.

    The promoted officers, who spoke through Brig.Gen. Muktar, thanked President Muhammadu Buhari, the Services Chiefs especially the chiefs of the Navy and the Army for considering them worthy of the promotions.

    He said they were conscious of the responsibilities attached to their new ranks and vowed to meet and exceed all expectations of their new positions. He specifically thanked Rear Admiral Suleiman Apochi and Gen. A. Aligbe, saying without their guidance and support the promotions would never had seen the light of the day.

    Muktar appreciated their wives and other family members for their sacrifices in ensuring that their elevation sailed through. He recalled how his uncle encouraged him to join the army. He said having failed on two occasions to gain admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), he gave up the ambition.

    But the general said: “Myy uncle, Alhaji Suleiman, particular encouraged me to still try again for the third time. I failed to get admission into the Nigeria Defence Academy for the second time. I made up my mind that I was not going to try again.

    “I visited my uncle in Sokokto and that time he mentioned it and said, ‘why don’t you want to apply again? It doesn’t matter, try again’.  I heeded his advice and glory to the Almighty God, today here we are witnessing my decoration to the rank of Brigadier-General”.

    He prayed that those, Ho could not make the present promotion be considered in the next batch. He asked yet-to-be-promoted officers to be steadfast believing that their time of promotion would surely come.

    “Our prayer is for all those who missed the promotion this time, will get it next time coz truly God knows the best. Our prayer is that you will get it at the time it is most pleasing to the almighty God.

    “I want to assure everyone that we are conscious of the added responsibility and the expectations of greater efforts signaled by this promotion and I assure you we will spare no effort in meeting and indeed exceeding the expectations that come with this rank”, he said.

     

  • Troops rescue abducted soldiers, four others in Rivers

    Troops rescue abducted soldiers, four others in Rivers

    Troops of the Joint Task Force (JTF) Operation Delta Safe (ODS) have stormed a kidnappers’ den in Rivers State and rescued two abducted soldiers and four civilians.

    It was gathered that the troops also discovered human skulls and bones when they raided the kidnappers’ camp.

    Confirming the development on Thursday, the ODS Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Centre (JMCC), Maj.Ibrahim Abdullahi, said the operation followed a report that two soldiers on transit for banking services in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government area of Rivers, were kidnapped by gunmen.

    He said the ODS immediately mobilised troops and stormed the kidnappers’ camp for the rescue operation.

    Abdullahi said the criminals, on sighting the soldiers, engaged the troops in a gun duel.

    He said the troops overpowered the hoodlums who escaped into the forest with gunshot wounds.

    Abdullahi said: ”On September 18, 2017, about 7:30 a.m., OPDS headquarters received a report of kidnap of two soldiers while on transit for banking services in ONELGA, Rivers State.

    ”Troops were immediately mobilized, swung into action and discovered a militant camp with several shrines in a forest at Obiozimini community in River.

    ”On approaching the place, the suspected kidnappers opened fire on the troops who subsequently engaged them with superior fire power leading to casualties on the side of suspected kidnappers while others escaped with various degrees of gunshot wounds into an adjoining forest.

    ”The operation successfully rescued the two abducted personnel. Further search of the campsite led to the rescue of four more civilians that were earlier kidnapped including a lady.”

  • Troops kill two kidnappers, rescue victim

    Troops of Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Delta Safe (ODS), have killed two kidnappers in gun duel and rescued a kidnap victim in Rivers State.

    Briefing journalists at the ODS’ Headquarters in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, on Tuesday, the Commander of the outfit, Rear Admiral Suleiman Apochi, said the troops killed the kidnappers during an operation at Omoku Forest.

    “Acting on a tip-off, the troops swiftly responded and engaged some suspected armed kidnappers in a gun duel leading to rescue of the kidnapped victim and death of two of the kidnappers,” he said.

    He said the rescued victim was receiving treatment in an undisclosed medical facility in Port Harcourt.

    Apochi also paraded Ayebemi Dressman, Inimotimi Abule and Epemege Frank who were arrested in connection with the bombing of a facility belonging to an international oil company at Tebidaba-Ogboinbiri-Brass pipeline.

    The trio reportedly used dynamites to destroy the facility at the outskirts of Imgbiba community in Southern Ijaw local government Area of Bayelsa State.

     

  • Troops recover arms from Bayelsa kidnappers’ den

    Troops of the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Delta Safe (ODS), have recovered cache of arms following raids on kidnappers’ hideouts in Bayelsa State.

    Speaking at ODS headquarters in Yenagoa on Wednesday, the Commander of the outfit, Rear Admiral, Apochi Suleiman, said two kidnapped victims were discovered and freed by the troops.

    Suleiman said the raids on identified camps of sea robbers, pirates and kidnappers, were conducted at the weekend around Oluwasiri and Agbidama creeks in Brass and Ekeremor local government areas of the state.

    He said:  “During the operations in Oluwasiri particularly, the troops rescued two kidnapped victims. One of the victims sustained gunshot injury during the crossfire. He is currently receiving medical attention in one of our facility in Port Harcourt.

    He listed the recovered arms and ammunition as one HK 21E rifle, one rocket propelled gun launcher, four AK 47 rifles, three pistols, 61 pieces of 12.7/108mm ammunition and five empty rifles’ magazine.

     

     

  • JTF kills militants’ kingpin in Ondo

    JTF kills militants’ kingpin in Ondo

    …One soldier killed, three injured

     

    Soldiers attached to Operation Delta Safe, a Joint TaskForce (JTF) at the wee hours of Monday killed a suspected leader of the militant group terrorising Ishawo and neighbouring creeks.

    The suspect identified as Ossy Ibori was gunned down around 3am, at Ajakpa in Ondo State, when he led his gang in an attack of military men deployed to safeguard the area.

    It was gathered that a soldier was killed and three others injured in the operation.

    However, the security forces retaliated and in the process, Ibori was killed, while other members of his gang jumped into the river.

    According to sources, the troop recovered weapons from the fleeing criminals.

    Another account stated that the notorious Ossy (Ibori) was lured out of Ishawo creek to Ajakpa wirh the help of his lover, where the soldiers eventually trailed him to.

    Ossy, said to have been the kingpin and among the masterminds of high profile murders and kidnappings within Lagos and Ogun, allegedly opened fire upon sighting military men.

    Confirming his death, Lagos Police Commissioner Fatai Owoseni said efforts were on to apprehend other members of his gang.

    Owoseni noted that most of the militants, who fled Lagos creeks as a result of ongoing operations, retreated to Ondo, their base.

    Owoseni said: “Around 3am today (Monday), a squad of soldiers posted to dislodge the militants that have been wrecking havoc in some parts of Lagos engaged the criminals in a shootout at Ajakpa. During which the suspected leader of the gang known as OC was killed. Efforts is ongoing to arrest other gang members”

    Contacted, the spokesman for the JTF, Major Abubakar Abdullahi confirmed the incident.

    He said: “Troops of Operation DELTA SAFE 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 Ondo State last night.

    “The attack was led by one notorious gang leader, Ossy Ibori with a hideout at Ajakpa, Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State. The leader was gunned down during the gun duel, along with some of his gang members. His body was identified by some of the locals in the area.

    “While search for other criminals who jumped into the water with gunshot wounds is ongoing, troops had 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 general areas.

    “Last month, the gang killed an army captain and four Policemen at Ikorodu. Also late last year, abducted students and staff of a secondary school. The criminals in addition, carried out several attacks at Ese-Odo community around Ajakpa,Safarogbo and Balowo areas.

    “The need to flush them out from their hudeout 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 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 whereabouts of other criminals.”

     

  • Pirates kill two soldiers, injure three in Bayelsa waterways

    Pirates operating along the waterways of Rivers and Bayelsa states have killed three soldiers attached to the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Delta Safe (ODS).
    It was gathered that three soldiers also sustained various degrees of injuries in a gun battle with the sea robbers.
    Troops of JTF deployed at Creek 6 Houseboat Cawthorne Channel were said to have confronted the hoodlums around Ijawkiri, bordering Kalabari in Rivers and Nembe in Bayelsa, while responding to a distress call.
    The incident, which occurred a day after an operative of the Security and Civil Defence  Corps (NSCDC) was killed by armed robbers in Bayelsa, raised concern over rising attacks on security personnel.
    The armed robbers, who lost one of their men in a gun battle with the NSCDC, further attacked a police checkpoint along Kolo, in Ogbia, Bayelsa, stole AK47 riffles after allegedly disarming policemen on duty.
    The JTF Media Coordinator, Maj. Abubakar Ibrahim, confirmed the killing of the soldiers saying efforts were being made to apprehend the killers.
    He, however, said troops on patrol around Iyalama, Adama axis in Rivers, discovered and destroyed 13 illegal refineries.
    He said: “Sadly, our troops deployed at Creek 6 Houseboat Cawthorne Channel while responding to a distress call of sea robbers attack around Ijawkiri general area engaged heavily armed sea robbers. 
    “Unfortunately, two gallant soldiers exhibited highest point of patriotism by paying supreme price, while three others sustained gunshot injuries. Effort is ongoing by the JTF to track and apprehend the criminals”.
    It was, however, learnt that security formations in the state met to re-strategise on how to work in synergy to curb criminal activities. 
    ‎The state’s Commissioner of Police, Asuquo Amba, reportedly met with heads of the Air force, JTF, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Prison Service (NPS) and Department of State Service (DSS).

    ‎Amba at the meeting which held in the Police Officers’ Mess called for effective collaborations to reduce crimes.

    He also appealed to the sister agencies to complement one another instead of working in cross purposes adding that     team work would promote peace, unity and progress .
    He attributed decrease in crime rate in the state to collaboration of sister security agencies and lauded security commanders for sustaining peace and unity among personnel.
    ‎Amba decried internal rivalries among sister organisations and appealed to security commanders to advise their personnel on the need for collaboration.

    The police boss also clarified the attack on police checkpoint where hoodlums reportedly disarmed policemen on duty.
    He said: “On 12 April, 2017,at about 0200hrs a police patrol team was attacked by unknown gunmen during a routine patrol along Otuasega road.
    “The Policemen engaged the gunmen in a gun duel, during which a policeman’s riffle was lost to the hoodlums. The gunmen escaped into the bush with gunshots injuries. Other patrol teams were alerted.
    “Consequently, the gunmen engaged personnel of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps on the same road. A civil defence officer and one of the gunmen died.
    “One pump action riffle  was recovered from the gunmen. Efforts have been intensified to arrest the fleeing suspects”.

  • Operation Delta Safe arrests suspected militants behind attacks on oil facilities

    The Joint Military Force deployed to the Niger-Delta, Operation Delta Safe, says it has arrested two militants who are masterminds of recent attacks on oil infrastructure in the region.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Rear Adm. Suileman Apochi, Commander of Operation Delta Safe, presented the suspects to newsmen on Thursday in Yenagoa.

    According to Apochi, the suspected militants are popularly identified as ‘General Eagle’ and ‘General VIP’ in the creeks.

    He said that the arrest of the suspects, who had admitted to be the brains behind attacks at Agip oilfields in Bayelsa, was due to the tenacity of operations launched against vandals by the joint force.

    The commander noted that the activities of the duo were responsible for the slump in oil output, following several attacks and threats to oil firms to succumb to their demands.

    “I am glad to announce that two notorious kingpins, identified as General Eagle’ and ‘General VIP, have been apprehended and from interrogation, they had admitted to committing several crimes.

    “The criminals and their group have at various times masterminded the destruction of oil infrastructure and sabotage to the economy.

    “They have engaged in illegal bunkering and kidnap of high profile victims.

    “The self-acclaimed ‘General Eagle’ said he recently organised and blew up one of the oil company’s risers at Golubokin along Obama-Brass pipeline in Bayelsa.

    “He also claimed responsibility in the planting of explosives at Agip oilfields,” said Apochi.

    The commander said that preliminary investigations had uncovered threats by text messages to oil firms and their staff to carry out more attacks if their demands for financial gratifications were not met.

    He said that troops, acting on actionable intelligence, raided their hideouts in Yenagoa and arrested three other suspects currently being interrogated.

    Apochi said that one of the suspects in custody of the joint force claimed, during interrogation, to be a pirate – ‘pipeline bleeding expert’ responsible for several destruction of oil facilities.

    The commander then advised aggrieved groups to take advantage of the federal government’s windows of opportunities to amicably resolve grievances rather than resorting to criminal acts.

    Apochi assured that the military will not rest on its oars until the region is sanitised of criminals.

    He solicited the support of the public by providing timely and credible information required to fish out and flush out criminals.

    He also assured that steps were being taken to ensure a crime-free yuletide as patrols had been intensified on the East-West road as well as the waterways in the Niger Delta region.

  • JTF raids militants’ camp in Delta

    JTF raids militants’ camp in Delta

    The Joint Task Force (JTF) code-named ”Operation Delta Safe” on Thursday raided a suspected militants’ camp in Okosugbene along the Burutu/Warri in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta.

    A source told newsmen in Warri that the military personnel stormed the camp with two Fighter Jets and about eight Gunboats at about 6 a.m.

    The camp was said to be an abandoned hideout used by the former militant group, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) and now occupied by sea pirates.

    The JTF were said to have acted on a tip-off on a raid that lasted for about an hour.

    ”Information about casualties is still unknown.

    ”The raid caused tension among dwellers of riverine communities as residents fled for safety,” the source said.

    The Sector (1) Commander of the JTF, Col. Alhassan Grema, confirmed the raid but declined to give details.