Tension is building up in the Niger Delta region as military begins bombardment of militant camps in the region.
The development have forced many locals fleeing their communities on Thursday morning, sources said.
The military reportedly deployed fighter jets Thursday morning to root out some militants who were camping in a creek community in Burutu council area, Delta state.
Vanguard Newspaper report that the offensive which have created fear and tension in the region led to the death of some militants caught unaware in the camp.
Special military force in the Delta, codenamed Operation Delta Safe bombed a militant camp at Okosugbene Creek, along Burutu-Warri River, near Burutu, Delta State.
The military reportedly deployed two fighter jets and about seven gun boats for the early morning raid, local sources said.
Reports from the area said that soldiers, who struck at about 6.00 am caught the militants unawares.
The newspaper quoted two sources who gave different version of the incident.
One source said the camp was an abandoned militant camp belonging to the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, while the other hinted that it was occupied by sea pirates.
Information about the casualties of the attack was still unclear at the time of this report, but the raid caused tension among riverine dwellers, the source said.
“They ran helter-skelter at the sound of heavy gunshots. Another informant, who spoke to Vanguard, said the militant camp is located at Lapala village, near Burutu.
However, a youth leader from Burutu community, who confirmed the attack, said: “I heard several gunshots on Thursday morning from the community.”
“From our findings, we discovered that the military had invaded the gathering of suspected militants, who had converged on the community in what could be likened to a militant camp.”
Shedding light on the raid, a senior operative of the Department of State Security, DSS, said: “There were intelligence reports that suspected militants are converging on the area.
“Troops from the Operation Safe Delta were drafted to engage the militants and dislodge the camp located at an area known as 9000 Junction,” he said.
At about 9.00 am, former chairman of Burutu community, Jonathan Ogodobiri, who spoke on phone, asserted: “There are no army troops within Burutu town but the entire waterways is under siege.
“There is a massive presence of army personnel patrolling the river as I speak with you.”
Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari had recently engaged leaders of the region on talk on how to end pipeline attack in the region after the leaders had secured a unilateral ceasefire from the agitating militant groups.
The demands from the peace meeting were yet to be addressed when the government set up a committee headed by former Chief of Army Staff, Gen Theophilus Danjuma to mop up arms and end pipeline attacks in the region.
