Nigeria has recorded a downward trend in criminal activities across all geopolitical zones due to the operational efforts of the military to deny criminals breathing space in the last two weeks, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said on Thursday.
The Acting Director, Defence Media Operation (DMO) Bernard Onyeuko, a brigadier general, on Thursday said operations to rid the country of economic saboteurs, illegal bunkering activities, terrorists, bandits and other criminal elements yielded successes.
The Director said troops sustained onslaught against all forms of criminality by conducting series of operations ranging from aggressive ground operations to comprehensive air operations and exclusive maritime operations against criminal elements and their enclaves.
“These operations recorded attendant successes as scores of criminal elements were decimated and neutralized with their hideouts destroyed and large caches of arms and ammunition as well as equipment recovered. In other cases, some kidnapped victims were rescued and rustled cattle recovered; and economic saboteurs arrested”, he said.
Onyeuko, while giving a breakdown of the activities of the armed forces of Nigeria between 3rd to 16th June across different theatres of operation informed that troops of operation Delta safe conducted series of anti-illegal oil bunkering and raid operations that thwarted activities of economic saboteurs.
These operations according to him, led to the deactivation of several illegal oil refining sites, disconnection of illegal pipelines, arrest of different criminal elements, interception and confiscation of contraband vessels, recovery of stolen items and resealing of reactivated illegal oil refining sites.
“Troops conducted anti-illegal oil bunkering operations to deactivate illegal oil refining sites at Ibaa in Emohua LGA and Kumufari and Yalama Towns in Asari-Toru LGA of Rivers State.
“During the operations, several barrels of illegally refined PMS and AGO were impounded and storage tanks immobilized.
“Relatedly, troops, while on patrol on 4 June, intercepted and impounded several wooden boats; some laden with large quantities of stolen crude oil, others loaded with vandalized pipes at DSC Roundabout in Udu LGA and Opuama Creek in Warri North LGA of Delta State. Additionally, troops on 5 June disconnected an illegal pipeline laid by criminals connected to SPDC pipeline around Ibaa in Emohua LGA of Rivers State.
“Troops also re-sealed some illegal oil refining sites reactivated by criminal elements at Koko Community in Warri North LGA of Delta State on 6 June 2021. In another development same day, troops arrested some criminals disguised as lunatics, who were in possession of some stolen and illegal items, including several fake military barrack permit ID cards and military uniforms, at Tipper Garage and Navy Scrape Yard in Uvwie LGA of Delta State.”, he said.
In the North East, the director said troops of Operation Hadin Kai conducted several raid operations and extensive air strikes, responded to distress calls as well as repelled and thwarted terrorists’ attacks across the Zone.
During the operations, he said several terrorists were killed, while large number of their gun trucks and other logistics facilities were as well destroyed in the process. He said troops operations also led to the arrest of some terrorists and kidnappers including the leader of a notorious kidnapping syndicate in the North East Zone, named Mohammed Maki, who is a Chadian.
“The attendant results recorded by troops through their superior operational engagements have continued to degrade the terrorists’ operational capabilities and deny them freedom of operation in the North East theatre within the period under review.
In the Northwest, he said the operational activities in Operation Hadarin Daji theatre of operation were characterized with ambush operations, aggressive fighting patrols, air raids, sustained air Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance patrols as well as cordon and search operations. These operations yielded attendant successes in the period under review.
He informed that the Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji conducted air raids on bandits’ enclaves at Jibia area in Katsina State, which led to the neutralization of several armed bandits and destruction of structures used as hideouts.
In addition to kinetic operations, Onyeuko pointed out that the Military conducted non-kinetic operations aimed at tackling security challenges one of which is the recent summit in the northeast which had in attendance a Federal government delegation which include defence ministers representatives of service chiefs and other key stakeholders.
The director expressed optimism that the discussions and decisions reached at the end of the security summit would go a long way in tackling and bringing peace to the Southeast region.
