Troops Arrest 26 oil thieves, rescue 109 kidnapped hostages in one week — National Accord Newspaper
JOEL OLADELE, Abuja
The Armed Forces of Nigeria have made significant strides in their ongoing operations against oil thieves and terrorists, arresting 26 perpetrators of oil theft and rescuing 109 kidnapped hostages within the past week.
Briefing journalists on Thursday, the Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, said the military has been carrying out operations in five active theatres across the country, including the North East, North West, North Central, South South, and South East.
He noted that the North East and North West regions have seen the highest levels of intensity.
According to him, the operations have seen troops engaging in fierce battles against terrorists in difficult terrains, as well as fighting in multiple dimensions, including ground, air, sea, and cyberspace.
“The common denominator in all our operations are the terrorists.
“These terrorists are the enemy that must be fought and defeated. They are responsible for keeping the nation in an almost constant state of counter terrorism and counter insurgency,” Buba stated.
He added that during the week under review, troops neutralized 187 terrorists and arrested 183 persons.
In addition to the oil thieves and kidnapped hostages, troops recovered a large cache of weapons and ammunition, including 128 assorted weapons and 3,300 rounds of ammunition.
“In the SS, troops denied the oil theft of the estimated sum of One Billion One Hundred and Twenty Seven Million Two Hundred and Twenty Nine Thousand Eight Hundred and Ninety Naira (N1,127,229,890.00) only.
“Furthermore, troops recovered 128 assorted weapons and 3,300 assorted ammunition. The breakdown as follows: one PKT gun, 80 AK47 rifles, 15 locally fabricated gun, 15 dane guns, 2 FN rifles, 5 pump action guns, 2 single barrel guns, 4 locally fabricated pistols, one fabricated barretta pistol, one locally made double barrel gun, 2 hand grenades, 2 primed IEDs and materials.
“Others are: 1,941 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 729 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 377 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm, 191 rounds of 5.55mm ammo, 199 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm ammo, 16 rounds of 9mm ammo, 26 live cartridges, 26 empty case of cartridges, 26 AK47 magazines, 6 baofeng radios, 10 vehicles, 4 motorcycles, 4 walkie-talkie, mobile phones and the sum of N102,010.00 only amongst other items.
“Troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 18 dugout pits, 30 boats and 49 storage tanks.
“Other items recovered include 66 cooking ovens, 4 drums, 5 speedboats, 15 vehicles, 2 tricycles, one generator, 11 mobile phones and 57 illegal refining sites. Troops recovered 1,l25,440 litres of stolen crude oil, 213,539 litres of illegally refined AGO and 1,230 litres of PMS,” he said.
Buba emphasized that the military is determined to crush the terrorists and protect the citizens.
He therefore urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to security agencies. The military has also placed measures to forestall planned attacks on critical infrastructure and facilities.
He also called on citizens to recognize that security is a collective responsibility and that no one can compromise on it. He assured that the military will continue to do what is necessary to ensure the safety and security of Nigerians.
“Overall, we have no choice but to fight for the safety and security of our citizens. We also fight to safeguard our nation and preserve our way of life as a people.
“For us a force, Defence is the essence of what we do as an armed forces. Accordingly, we would defeat the terrorists on the battlefield and help our nation flourish again.” Buba assured.
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