Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The Defence Headquarters says troops of Operation UDO KA, within the week conducted snap operation and arrested suspected IPOB/ESN militants in Ikwo and Okigwe Local Government areas of Ebonyi and Imo States respectively.
The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba, disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the operations of the Armed Forces of Nigeria across the country on Thursday in Abuja.
He said the troops neutralised five terrorists, arrested 12 suspected criminals and rescued seven kidnapped hostages.
According to him: “Troops recovered two locally made guns, four rounds of 7.62 mm Special ammo, one FN rifle barrel, IED materials, 10 water gel explosives, three detonators, one detonating cord among others.
“All recovered items, arrested suspects and rescued hostages were handed over to the relevant authority for further action.”
Buba further disclosed that troops of Operation Delta Safe also uncovered and deactivated 53 illegal refining sites, recovered stolen products and apprehended 19 suspected oil thieves in one week in the Niger Delta area.
According to him, troops had sustained momentum against crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region.
He said the troops discovered and destroyed 54 dugout pits, 66 boats, 138 storage tanks, 253 cooking ovens, two pumping machines, eight speedboat, 17 hoses, 18 drums and two cylinders.
The defence Spokesman said the troops also recovered 983,350 litres of stolen crude oil, 144,980 litres of illegally refined AGO and 71,650 litres of DPK.
“Troops also neutralised one criminal, rescued three hostages and recovered one fabricated rifle, 18 vehicles and one torch light,” he said.
Buba said the military had uncovered and neutralised some of the criminal safe heavens across various theaters of operation.
He revealed that criminals used national parks, game reserves and forests across the country as their hideouts.
“The military has identified several of these safe heavens and operations are targeted towards ensuring that they are completely dismantled.
“Recently, one of such hideouts in the South-East was invaded by troops and found unspeakable and unprintable activities going on in the invaded camps.
“It goes to tell us that these extremists are cannibals, feasting on fellow human beings and conducting other forms of dastardly acts,” he said.
