*Eliminate 62 terrorists/Bandits, rescue 179 victims in North West
WorldStage Newsonline– The Defence Headquarters says troops of Operation Delta Safe have deactivated more illegal refining sites, recovered large quantity of stolen products in Niger Delta within three weeks.
The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Bernard Onyeuko said while briefing newsmen on the operations of the armed forces in the last three weeks on Thursday in Abuja that the troops had continued to clamp down on the activities of oil thieves and other criminal elements in different parts of Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers respectively.
He said the troops discovered several illegal refining sites with 133 ovens, 194 metal tanks storage, 127 dugout pits, five wooden boats, 12 receivers, two engines, two pumping machines and five trucks among other things.
He said a total of 7.7 million litres of crude oil and 10.8 million litres of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) were recovered within the period under review, adding that the recovered items had been handed over to the appropriate authorities for further action.
The defence spokesperson further said that troops of Operation Dakatar Da Barawo, also discovered and destroyed several illegal refinery sites with 145 ovens, 201 storage metal tanks, nine pumping machines.
Other items according to him, are one Yamaha 40HP outboard engines, 55 dugout pits, 58 drums of AGO, two wooden boats, 100 polythene bags illegally refined AGO and one tanker loaded with illegal refined AGO.
“Cumulatively, within the weeks under review, a total of 1.7 million litres of AGO, 3.8illion litres of crude oil, 350,000 litres of sludge, 20,000 litres of PMS and 100,000 litres of DPK were recovered.
“All arrested criminals and recovered items were handed over to the appropriate authorities for further actions,” he said.
ELIMINATE 62 TERRORISTS/BANDITS, RESCUE 179 VICTIMS IN N’WEST
Moreover, the Defence Headquarters said the troops of Operation Hadarin Daji eliminated over 62 terrorists, arrested 79 others and rescued 179 kidnapped victims across the North West Region of the country within three weeks.
Onyeuko said the troops had on April 10 eliminated scores of terrorists and rescued 50 victims comprising 32 women and 18 children at Wanzamai in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara.
He said the troops had continued to record successes across Katsina, Zamfara and Kaduna State, leading to recovery of 592 rustled cattle, 45 different assorted weapons, 80 rounds of different caliber ammunition and 50 motorcycles during the period.
“Troops also rescued 179 civilians, neutralised 62 terrorists and apprehended 100 terrorists.
“All recovered items, rescued and apprehended terrorists were handed over to the appropriate authorities for further action,’’ he said.
On Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), Onyeuko said the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor embarked on stakeholder’s engagement in five Local Government Areas of Southern Kaduna.
According to him, the CDS also interacted with retired military senior officers in the zone to chart ways of bringing the incessant attacks in the area to an end.
He stressed that the visit had impacted positively on the peace efforts in the area.
Onyeuko said the commander of OPSH, Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Ali, handed over 517 small arms and light weapons recovered from criminals to the National Centre for the control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW).
He said the commander handed the weapons to the North Central Coordinator of NCCSALW, retired Maj.-Gen. Hamza Bature at OPSH Headquarters in Jos.
According to him, the breakdown of the weapons include 26 AK 47 rifles, one FN, two Barreta rifles, three G3 rifles, six Barreta pistols, nine Harris Bing pistols and one SMG.
“Others are 183 locally fabricated rifles, 163 dane guns, 102 locally fabricated pistols, 19 locally fabricated SMGs, six single barrel guns and pump action gun,” he said.
