JTF Bust Militant Camp In Delta, Arrest One, Recover Several Arms, Ammunitions

The Joint Task Force codenamed Operation Pulo Shield on Thursday said it destroy suspected militants camp and arrested one suspect in Benigboye community, Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.

The Task Force said it also recovered several arms and ammunition from the suspected camp located at Odimodi community in Ogulagha Kingdom, Burutu council area.

It said the operation leading to the destruction of the militant camp and arrest was in line with the zero tolerance campaign against oil theft and illegal oil bunkering.

Parading the suspect simply identified as Ebiwame Lamia at the 3 Battalion Army Barrack Effurun, JTF Commander, Major General Alani Okunlola said that the Task Force raided and destroyed the suspected militant camp in line with its rule of engagement.

He said that JTF on the 6 of September 2015, also swooped on the suspected militants who opened fire on his men on sighting them, but that the militants took to their heels due to JTF’s superior fire power.

“On 5 September 2015, troops conducted a raid operation on suspected militant camp at Benigboye in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State.

"The suspected militants on sighting troops opened fire which led to a gun battle which lasted for 30 minutes before the superior fire from our troops overpowered them.

“The militants abandoned their camp in disarray while taking along with them wounded colleagues of theirs.

The troop combed the area and recovered  sophisticated weapons which includes; Medium Machine Gun, Ak47, Soft Machine Guns, FN rifles, and G3 rifle.

"The troop also recovered one single barrel gun, 7.62MM NATO ammunition, eleven quantity of Improvised Explosive Devices,” the JTF Commander said.

Major General Okunlola said the trooped also recovered an ATM card allegedly belonging to one Ngo Pasco, a suspected hoodlum that attacked Odimodi community recently.

He said that the suspect who escaped the previous day raid had confessed during preliminary investigation that he hide himself inside the camp as at the time of the raid.

The JTF Commander who was flanked by the Commanding Officer, 3 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, Effurun Barrack, Lt Col Bassey Effiong, added that the arrested suspect disclosed that three militants were killed during the operation while their leader one, Ayas Abdulrahaman Ngo escaped with gunshot  wounds.

He said Task Force had arrested the seventeen years old boy who confessed to have been the cook of the militants when its personnel launched a search operation at Odimodi community when it got information that some militants where hiding in that community.

While saying that the JTF is ready to match action with words in it’s campaign against illegality, the JTF Commander pleaded with Niger Deltans to assist the Task Force with information that will lead to the complete clamp down on all forms of illegality in the region.

He also called on parents to keep a close watch on the activities of their children, stressing that proper upbringing of children will go a long way in preventing criminality in the region.

Major Gen. Okunlola however that the JTF is determined to rid the region of all forms of criminality, stressing that with the collaboration of the air force and other security agencies, they are sure to win the war against criminality in the region.