The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Operation Pulo Shield

  • Court fixes April 25 for trial of ex-JTF commander, others

    Justice Ayokunle Faji of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on Monday adjourned the trial of retired Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Atewe and three others, charged with N8.5 bilion fraud, until April 25 and April 27.

    Atewe is a former military commander of the Niger-Delta Joint Task Force, “Operation Pulo Shield.”

    He is charged alongside Patrick Akpobolokemi, a former director-general of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

    Also charged are two other members of staff of the agency, Kime Engonzu and Josephine Otuaga.

    The accused were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on an amended 22-count charge bordering on fraud.

    The EFCC prosecutor, Mr I. A. Mohammed, and counsel to the first and second accused — Mr Tokunbo Ajibulu, Miss Chidinma Okoronkwo — were present in court.

    Also present was Mr Mathew Buka, counsel to the third and fourth accused. The third and fourth accused were, however, absent in court.

    Buka had apologised to the court for the absence of the third and fourth accused, saying the accused persons were not aware of today’s sitting.

    The EFCC had alleged that the accused conspired and diverted N8.5 billion from “Operation Pulo Shield” between Sept. 5, 2014 and May 20, 2015, using some companies.

    The companies are Jagan Ltd, Jagan Trading Company Ltd, Jagan Global Services Ltd, Al-Nald Ltd, Paper Warehouse Ltd, Eastpoint Integrated Services Ltd and De-Newlink Integrated Services Ltd.

    Read Also: Court fixes March 27 to hear Kiribo title’s suit

  • Troops foil Agip pipeline bombing, arrest 19

    Troops of the Joint Force (JF), Operation Pulo Shield, on Friday stopped an attempt by suspected vandals to bomb pipelines belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) in Okpoama, Brass local government area of Bayelsa State.

    The Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Centre (JMCC), Col. Ado Isa, in a statement on Friday, 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 along 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 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.

    “10 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.”

     

  • NSCDC inaugurates gunboats in Bayelsa to tackle vandalism

    NSCDC inaugurates gunboats in Bayelsa to tackle vandalism

    The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Tuesday, inaugurated gunboats in Bayelsa State to tackle cases of pipeline vandalism and other maritime criminalities in the state.

    The gunboats were sent to the state command of NSCDC by the Federal Government a few days after suspected vandals attacked pipelines belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) in Brass, Brass Local Government Area of the state.

    The corps’ Commandant-General, Abdullahi Muhammadu, was said to be desirous of equipping the commands in the Niger Delta region to forestall further attacks on oil installations and other national assets.

    The gunboats were inaugurated at the Government Jetty, Yenagoa, by the Governor of the state, Mr. Seriake Dickson, in a brief ceremony that was attended by the deputy Governor, John Jonah; Chief of Staff, Talford Ongolo and all the security commanders in the state.

    Security commanders, who attended the event, were the Commissioner of Police, Peter Ogunyanwo; state Commandant, NSCDC, Desmond Agu and the Commander, Joint Force (JF), Operation Pulo Shield, among others.

    Muhammadu commended Dickson for his efforts on security adding that the governor “does not joke with security”.

    Muhammadu, who was represented by the Deputy Commandant-General, Operation, Mr. Nnamdi Nwiyi, said the presence of all the security heads at the event underscored the synergy existing among them.

    “This is the only state I have visited where all the service chiefs are represented in an event of this nature. It shows synergy and I really appreciate what we have seen,” he said.

    In his remarks, Dickson said all the security agencies and the government had developed the habit of working together as a team.

    He said his government was committed in protection of lives and properties as well as safeguarding national assets.

    He asked the commandant-general to send more maritime assets to the state insisting that Bayelsa is more riverine than every other state in the country.

    He thanked the officers and operatives of the state command of NSCDC and praised the dedication of the state commandant to his duties.

    Dickson, however, told the commandant-general that his command in the state needed more support to enable it protect critical public installations.

    He said: “Our government has a high priority for security. In our second term in office, we will consolidate on security.”

    The governor called on all the misguided youths who had taken to crime to quit or face the wrath of his government and security agencies.

    He said the government in partnership with security outfits would flush out “disgruntled and misguided youths out of the state.”

    Dickson who later inaugurated the new headquarters of NSCDC emphasised the need for cooperation among the security agencies.

    He also promised that his government would soon provide more gunboats to security agencies.

    Earlier in his speech, Agu commended Dickson for all his support for the command including building the new headquarters.

  • Troops arrest suspected pipeline bombers in N’Delta

    Troops arrest suspected pipeline bombers in N’Delta

    Troops of Operation Pulo Shield (OPS), formerly known as Joint Task Force (JTF) have arrested some suspects for the recent attacks of oil pipelines and installations in the Niger Delta region.

    The Commander, OPS, Maj.-Gen. Alani Okunlola, in a statement signed by the Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Centre, Col. Ado Isa, said the suspects were undergoing investigations.

    Okunlola said the investigations would determine the culpability of suspects before transferring them to relevant prosecuting agencies.

    He said the troops were on manhunt for other hoodlums who were on the run.

    But the commander failed to indicate the number of persons arrested by the operatives.

    He said: “The success of the arrest was due to highly intensified patrols and cordon-and-search operations on the waterways, creeks and communities by the outfit.”

    Suspected militants recently vandalised some oil and gas pipelines across the Niger Delta including the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation gas pipeline in Egwa 1, Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State and Agip pipelines in Brass LGA of Bayelsa State.

    Okunlola further said that the troops had intensified patrols and cordon-and-search within their Area of Responsibility (AoR).

    The commander also assured the people of Niger Delta of the OPS’ determination to tackle all acts of illegalities in the region.

    He appealed to them to give useful information that would aid the Joint Force in its operations in line with its mandate in the Niger Delta.

    He further warned the perpetrators of the crimes to desist from further destruction of oil facilities or be ready to face the full wrath of the law.

    Also, the Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ) called on the host communities to protect oil and gas pipelines in their domains against vandalism to save the environment from widespread pollution.

    The National Coordinator, CEPEJ, Mr. Sheriff Mulade, urged oil-rich communities to see the installations in their domain as theirs and ensure vandals steer clear of them.

    Mulade bemoaned incessant destruction of pipelines by vandals insisting that the quest for ill-gotten wealth was destroying the environment.

    He said the damage done to the environment by pipeline vandals would take many years to reclaim and warned against self-destruction arising from illegal bunkering by the locals.

    He said: “People should know that they are polluting their environment through vandalism and this illicit trade.  The effect of pollution on the environment is massive especially the health hazards, erosion of livelihoods and all that.

    “Therefore, we should know that when we destroy the environment, we are intentionally destroying ourselves because the environment is our only heritage.”

    Mulade said adequate measures should be put in place to check the unwholesome activities of oil thieves and vandals and advised security agencies to adopt intelligence gathering mechanism to track the perpetrators.

    He also advised the Federal Government to investigate security agents stationed at the facilities following allegations that they were conniving with vandals for their selfish interest.