JTF Destroys Suspected Militant Camp in Delta… Arrests 17 Year Old Suspect, Recovers Several Ammunition

By Francis Sadhere

The Joint Military Force (JTF), code name ‘Operation Polo Shield’ has raided and destroyed a suspected militant camp at Benigboye in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, arresting a seventeen years old boy and recovering several ammunitions.

The JTF Commander, Major General Alani Okunlola who revealed this today at 3 Battalion Army Barrack Effurun, while parading the suspect and the amunition, said JTF is ready to match action with words in it’s campaign against illegality.

He added that in line with its zero tolerance campaign against oil theft and illegal oil bunkering, JTF on the 6 of September 2015, swooped on the unsuspected 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 added that JTF launched a search operation at Ogulaha community when it got information that some militants where hiding in that community, arresting seventeen years old boy, Ebimaye Lamiya who confessed to have been the cook for the militants whose camp was destroyed the previous day.

The JTF Commander added  that the arrested suspect confessed that three militants were killed during the operation while their leader, Mr. Ayas Abdulrahaman Ngo escaped with gunshot  wounds.

He pleaded with the people of the Niger Delta region to assist the JTF 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 further assured the people of the Niger Delta region that the JTF is determined to rid the region off 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.