Troops arrest suspected ISWAP terrorist in Ogun

Military onslaught against bandits and insurgents in the country may have yielded breakthrough as troops of Operation AWATSE has arrested a suspected member of Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) around Sango-Ota area of Ogun State.

Briefing newsmen on Defence Military Operations (DMO) across the country, Acting Director of DMO, Brig.-Gen. Bernard Onyeuko, said that operational activities within the past weeks involved sustained routine patrols to forestall activities of vandals on Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) pipelines at Gaun, Akute, Wawa 1 and 2 and Mabgero areas.

According to Onyeuko: “Troops carried out standing patrols and raid operations at strategic areas in the South-West zone, including Majidun area, during which one Mr. Ibrahim Musa, an ISWAP member was arrested at No. 31 Abartura Street in Sango-Ota, Ogun State.

“Intelligence report revealed that Ibrahim was on a mission to Lagos to acquire certain items for ISWAP’s operations in Maiduguri. In another development, own troops acting on intelligence reports on ongoing illegal oil bunkering activity at Alimosho NNPC pipeline, arrested one Mr. Oyeshola Saheed, acting as the illegal bunkerers’ supervisor.

“However, he named one Mr. Akanbi as the sponsor and financier of the illegal bunkering activities in the area. Both vehicles and equipment used for their operations were recovered and handed over to the appropriate agency for necessary action.”

The DMO spokesman said the soldiers recovered 44 AK-47 rifles, two PKT, seven anti-aircraft guns, seven gun trucks, several ammunition of different calibre, as well as weapon cleaning materials, clothing, blankets, foodstuff, vehicles, generators, Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) materials, religious scripts and other items from the terrorists.

He also said that 55 escapees from terrorist’s camps, comprising 15 males, 12 females and 27 children, surrendered to troops at Darajemel in Borno State.

Onyeuko noted that troops of Operation DELTA SAFE within the period conducted several operations to secure oil pipelines and other critical infrastructure to deny economic saboteurs and prevent security breaches.