Simon Utebor, Yenagoa
The Joint Task Force in the Niger
Delta, Operation Delta Safe, has
killed two members of the Niger
Delta Avengers and arrested three
others over the killing of four
soldiers in Bayelsa State.
Gunmen, suspected to be militants,
had on August 8, 2016 attacked and
killed four soldiers stationed at a
military checkpoint at the entrance
of Nembe community, in Nembe
Local Government Area of the state.
The gunmen, who were dressed in
mourning outfit as if they were on a
funeral procession, ambushed the
detachment of the ODS, killed the
soldiers and carted away their arms,
ammunition and military gunboat.

The arrested suspects were on
Tuesday paraded at the
headquarters of the ODS at
Igbogene, in Yenagoa Local
Government Area of Bayelsa.
The Commander of the outfit, Rear
Admiral Joseph Okojie, said on
Monday that the troops recovered a
large cache of arms and ammunition,
adding that a military gunboat
seized from the soldiers was also
recovered.
Okojie said that the search for the
suspected killers led them to a
hideout in a camp at Saraba Creek,
near Okiama community, Okigbene
in Southern Ijaw Local Government,
where the soldiers located the
militants and engaged them in a gun
duel, leading to the death of two
suspects and the arrest of three
others.
According to him, among the items
recovered from the suspected
hoodlums include nine AK 47 rifles,
an FN rifle, four HK 21 MGs, one G3 MG,
three GPMGs, 20 AK 47 magazines,
two G3 magazines, one FN magazine,
one container of gunpowder, the
gunboat seized from the murdered
soldiers and military accoutrements.
Also seized during the raid, he said,
were 1,145 rounds of 7.62mm metal
link, 2, 485 rounds of 7.62mm ball
cartons, 370 rounds of 7.62mm
special ammunition and 1,356 rounds
of 7.62mm NATO.
Austin Dikro, one of the suspects
paraded by the ODS Commander,
said the group had gone for another
operation and were returning when
they had the bloody encounter with
the troops.
He said the waterways in the route
they initially wanted to take had
dried up as they were returning,
making it difficult for their
speedboat to float.
He said it was then that their now
deceased leader ordered them to go
through the military checkpoint and
engage the soldiers head-on.
Dikro, who said he hailed from Brass
LGA of Bayelsa State, noted that they
disguised as mourners just before
approaching the military blockade
and opened fire on the troops.
It was learnt that the hoodlums also
forced one of the surviving soldiers
to operate the military gunboat that
was seized from the troops, because
it was too complex for their own
men.
Okojie said, “The sources of
acquiring illicit wealth is being
degraded, hence the resort to
attacking our locations. You will
recall that on Monday, August 8, 2016,
at about 0930hours, a group
suspected to be members of the
Niger Delta Avengers, disguised as
mourners, attacked and killed four of
our soldiers at their duty post in
Nembe.
“Three suspects were arrested and a
large quantity of arms, ammunition
and the gunboat that was taken from
Nembe on August 8,2016 were
recovered.”
He added that the troops conducted
the operation professionally and
avoided collateral damage, noting
that the security forces would
continue to sustain the approach
which was in line with global best
practices.
He stressed, “Let me use this
opportunity to reiterate the fact that
no criminal would go free, wherever
they are. Be rest assured we will get
them and ensure they face justice.
Let me reaffirm the commitment of
the JTF, Operation Delta Safe, of its
resolve to ensure peace and
economic stability in the region.”
Copyright PUNCH.


http://punchng.com/jtf-kills-two-avengers-arrests-three-militants/

Ghen Ghen!!!!!

hmmmm.....isorite