Tag: Vandals

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.”