•Troops Kill 188 Terrorists, Arrest 330
•Rescue 133 Kidnapped Victims
•ISWAP Murders Abducted Police Officer In Borno, Frees Family

Troops of 63 Brigade of the Nigerian Army searching for the killers of 17 military personnel in Okuama community of Delta State have arrested three leaders of Olota community in Ugheli South Local Council of the state, suspected to have had a hand in the dastardly act.

The troops also recovered assorted weapons and ammunition in the communities believed to be stockpiled for inter-community clashes.

It was learnt that the troops, who were conducting cordon and search operations in the general area, apprehended the individuals believed to be complicit in the killing of the military personnel who were on a peace mission in Okuama.

The arrest of the three individuals reportedly followed a painstaking effort of the military to track down the masterminds and killers of the soldiers. The manhunt for the perpetrators has compelled the military to look beyond Okuama community as they have reportedly extended their dragnet to surrounding communities and across the creeks of the Niger Delta region where they suspect that the killers might be hiding.

Armed with robust intelligence, the military were said to have stormed a number of hideouts and homes of individuals suspected to be complicit in the heinous crime. The troops were also in search of weapons, which they believe are stockpiled in many homes within the general area.

Counter-insurgency/militancy security expert, Zagazola Makama, revealed that in the course of the raids, cordon and searches, the troops recovered assorted high-caliber military-grade weapons in many of the communities.

He disclosed: “In one of such searches, the troops stormed the residence of one Mr. Kenneth in Olota, who escaped on sighting the soldiers.

“The team discovered one G3 rifle, 853 rounds of 7.62 MM Nato and 19 rounds of 7.62 Special MM in his house. A further search of other locations within the community led to the discovery of four G3 fifties and magazines, one pump action gun and three SMGs, magazines and 476 carriages.

“In other parts of the community, the troops recovered five dane guns and one big plastic containing substances suspected to be cannabis sativa. The three community leaders were apprehended along with two speedboats with 75 horsepower engine outboard engines.”

An intelligence source said the communities where the troops have conducted searches were full of weapons, saying the directive handed over to the troops was to mop up the arms and ammunition and disarm the communities.

According to the source, the troops would not relent until that order has been carried out to the letter.

He said the domination of the general area is in progress while the search for weapons of the slain military personnel and the culprits in the dastardly act continues.

“All these communities have what they call, ‘community weapons’ which they use to cause havoc here,” he said.

Similarly, troops on the frontline have neutralised no fewer than 188 terrorists and arrested 330 others.

Spokesman of Defence Media Operations (DMO), Major General Edward Buba, who made the disclosure, noted that the armed forces were working decisively to kill the terrorists, stop the insecurity and ensure the safety of citizens.

He said they were making the terrorists pay a much heavier price than troops have been forced to pay.

“Troops will continue to operate with tremendous force against the terrorists across the country. During the week under review, troops neutralised 188 and arrested 330 persons.

“Troops also arrested 36 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued 133 kidnapped hostages. In the South South, troops denied the oil thieves the estimated sum of N637,710,310.00 only,” he said.

He added that troops recovered 270 assorted weapons and 5,083 assorted ammunition.

“The breakdown are as follows: 122 AK47 rifles, 47 locally fabricated gun, 47 dane guns, 24 automatic pump action guns, eight locally fabricated pistols, two locally made single barrel guns, one double barrel gun, one hand grenade and one IED.

“Others are: 2,129 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 1,686 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 116 rounds of 9mm ammo, 133 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm ball ammo, 151 rounds of 7.62 x 39mm ammo, 619 live cartridges, 34 magazines, eight HH radios, eight vehicles, 40 motorcycles, six bicycles, 50 mobile phones and the sum of N610,210.00 amongst other items.

“Troops in the Niger Delta area discovered and destroyed 51 dugout pits, 24 boats, 21 storage tanks and four vehicles. Other items recovered include 28 cooking ovens and 21 illegal refining sites. Troops recovered 672,350 litres of stolen crude oil and 90,530 litres of illegally refined AGO.

“The military is in a good and strong position in the war against terrorists with many terrorists’ leaders killed. We will continue to provide security for citizens with the tools at our disposal,” he noted.

Meanwhile, the Islamic State of the West African Province (ISWAP) has reportedly executed a police officer abducted along the Damboa-Biu road in Borno State.

Sources reliably informed Makama that on Sunday, April 7, 2024, at around 10am, the police officer with wife and children were on transit from Damboa to Biu for Eid break but unfortunately went through a banned route.

It was later reported that suspected ISWAP operatives abducted them around Shokotoko general area located approximately 73/km south of Damboa.

However, later in the evening, the wife and his children were released, while the terrorists killed the police officer.