Troops Dismantle Pits, Ovens Laden with Illegally Refined AGO in S’South

Troops Dismantle Pits, Ovens Laden with Illegally
Refined AGO in S’South

GENERAL UPDATE ON ARMED FORCES OF NIGERIA OPERATIONS FROM 3 TO 9
SEPTEMBER 2020
1. In line with our weekly schedule, this morning I will be
briefing you on operations of the Armed Forces of Nigeria in
conjunction other security agencies across the Country from 3 to 9
September 2020. The various operations have progressed
satisfactorily.

NORTH-WEST ZONE
2. Troops of Operation HADARIN DAJI have continued the aggressive
clearance operations in the North-West zone of the country. For the
period under review, we have witnessed downward trend in the
activities of armed bandits and criminal elements in the zone. The
gallant troops of Operation HADARIN DAJI within the period carried
out series of clearance operations, ambushes and other aggressive
and confidence building patrols. Also farm and highway patrols were
carried out within the zone hence boosting the confidence of the
people in carrying out their human activities. These operations
have most importantly led to the neutralization of armed bandits,
arrest of suspected bandits and their collaborators, rescue of
kidnapped victims, recovery of rustled cattle, smashing of illegal
arms syndicates and illegal armed miners.

3. In one of the operations conducted on 3 September 2020, the
gallant troops neutralized 2 armed bandits at Samawa village in
Bungudu Local Government of Zamfara State. Similarly, on the same
day, a bandit named Sada surrendered 3 AK 47 rifles, one SMG and 2
magazines to troops of Forward Operating Base DANSADAU in Zamfara
State. Also, within the period troops of Operation THUNDER STRIKE
acting on credible intelligence successfully ambushed armed bandits
at Jeka Da Rabi along Kaduna-Abuja Expressway in Chikun Local
Government Area of Kaduna State. During the ambush, troops
neutralized 4 armed bandits and recovered one locally fabricated
rifle along with 5 rounds of 9mm ammunition. Furthermore, troops of
Operation HADARIN DAJI on 6 September 2020, arrested a bandit at
Koha village in Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State.
Also, on 7 September 2020, troops of Forward Operating Base
KEKUWUJE arrested 2 bandits’ couriers with the sum of One Million
Five Hundred and Sixty Five Thousand, Five Hundred and Fifty Naira
(N1,565,550.00) in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
Similarly, same day, troops of Operation HADARIN DAJI in
conjunction with vigilantes arrested a bandit informant in Faskari
Local Government Area of Katsina State.

4. Additionally, within this period, the Air Component of
Operation THUNDER STRIKE neutralized several armed bandits and
disrupted their camps in the Kuduru and Kwaimbana Forest areas of
Kaduna State. This was achieved through separate air strikes
carried on the heels of credible intelligence reports indicating
that the 2 locations were being used as staging areas by the
bandits. The attacks on the 2 forests hideout were executed after
aerial reconnaissance missions observed significant number of armed
bandits around some compounds in a small settlement within the
forest.

5. There is no gainsaying that the hitherto crippled
agricultural, social and economic lives of the people of this zone
by bandit’s activities have been restored to normalcy. The gallant
troops of Operations HADARIN DAJI and THUNDER STRIKE have continued
to dominate all the volatile areas with aggressive and confidence
building patrols, ambushes and clearance operations to deny the
bandits and other criminal elements freedom of action. The Military
High Command congratulates the troops for the feats recorded and
encourages the good people of the zone to continue to provide
credible information to the troops.

NORTH EAST ZONE
6. In continuation of its efforts in the fight against terrorism in
the North East zone, the Armed Forces of Nigeria will not relent in
its kinetic and non-kinetic operations. As usual, troops of
Operation LAFIYA DOLE have been constantly engaged in aggressive
clearance operations, Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance
(ISR) missions, artillery and aerial bombardments, offensive air
strikes and interdiction operations between 3 and 9 September 2020.
These are in addition to the non-kinetic activities of Operation
SAFE CORRIDOR.

7. Within the period under review, troops of Operation LAFIYA
DOLE recorded appreciable successes. On 3 September 2020, troops
successfully repelled terrorists’ attacks on own troops and
villages around Baga in Kukawa Local Government Area as well as
Gajigana and Gajiram Towns in Nganzai Local Government Area of
Borno State. During the encounters, troops neutralized a terrorist
and recovered one PKT rifle and 2 AK-47 rifles. Also on same day,
troops arrested 2 BHT/ISWAP elements at Kamuya village in Biu Local
Government Area of Borno State and another named Usman Almajiri at
Damaturu town in Yobe State.

8. Relatedly, on 6 September 2020, troops acting on credible
intelligence conducted raid operations at Hamdaga Makaranta Town in
Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State. In the process, 9
different Boko Haram/ISWAP structures identified during ISR
missions in the location were cleared. Additionally, 5 of their
fighters were killed during the raid; several others were
neutralized by mop-up air strikes while escaping with various
degrees of gunshot wounds. Interestingly, 7 kidnapped victims
comprising 2 women and 5 children were rescued by troops during the
operations. In another development, on same day, troops of 134
Special Forces Battalion repelled BHTs/ISWAP ambush along Magumeri
and Gubio Towns in Borno State. During the encounter, troops killed
one terrorist and recovered one gun truck, 2 AK 47 rifles, one
Dushka AA Gun, one PKT gun and one MG. Additionally, troops of
Operation WHIRL STROKE in conjunction with police and vigilantes,
on 7 September 2020 raided the residence of suspected armed robbers
and kidnappers at Garba Chede in Bali Local Government Area of
Taraba State. During the raid, one armed robber was neutralized
while one G3 rifle was recovered.

9. Meanwhile, in Operation SAFE CORRIDOR, recently graduated
clients are being received by their respective State Governments
and are in the process of being finally reintegrated to their home
communities. The Armed Forces of Nigeria in conjunction with all
stakeholders of the Operation; including traditional, religious and
community leaders as well as families of graduated Clients, worked
out the modalities to ensure this positive outcome.
10. The Armed Forces of Nigeria once again assures the general
public of its commitment to achieve sustainable peace in the North
East zone of the country.

NORTH-CENTRAL ZONE
11. The Armed Forces of Nigeria have continued to sustain the tempo
in the fight against all the criminality in the zone with attendant
successes. These ongoing kinetic efforts were supported by Civil
Military Cooperation (CIMIC) activities in the form of
stakeholders’ meetings amongst the various ethnic groups in the
zone.

12. Within the period under review, troops of Operation NUT
CRACKER, on 3 September 2020 intercepted 86 persons suspected to be
Darul Salam family members along Kpareke-Koton-Karfe Road in Kogi
State. During the preliminary investigation, it was revealed that
the suspects fled Uttu forest general area due to the ongoing
military offensive. Relatedly, on 6 September 2020 troops of
Operation WHIRL STROKE deployed at Guma in Benue State, and Keana
in Nasarawa State, conducted a dawn raid at an identified armed
bandits’ camp at Guma forest along the Benue-Nasarawa border
following actionable intelligence reports on the location of the
camp. Troops neutralized one bandit while others escaped with
gunshot wounds. Troops also recovered one AK-47 rifle, one AK-47
rifle magazine, one locally made pistol and 3 mobile phones while
the camp was subsequently destroyed.

13. Similarly, troops of Sector 1 deployed at Gagbe in Gwer West
Local Government Area of Benue State conducted a dawn raid on
another suspected armed bandits’ hideout at Tse Agi in the general
area. The gallant troops stormed the hideout and apprehended 4
suspects while one AK 47 rifle, 2 AK-47 rifle magazines and 46
rounds of 7.62 mm special ammunition were also recovered at the
location. The hideout was subsequently destroyed. In a similar
vein, troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN arrested 35 suspected
criminals during raids on some identified criminal hideouts at West
of Mines, Mid West, Charcoal Market and Busa Buji areas of Jos
North Local Government Area of Plateau State. The raids were
conducted following intelligence reports of criminal activities in
those areas.

14. Furthermore, on 5 September 2020, troops of Operation SAFE
HAVEN raided hideouts of suspected Sara Suka criminals at Yantifa,
New Market, Terminus and Bauchi road in Jos North Local Government
Area of Plateau State. Troops apprehended 20 Sara Suka suspects at
the location while two members of a syndicate specializing in the
production of fake security agencies identity cards were also
apprehended. Currently, all the arrested suspects are being
profiled after which they will be handed over to the appropriate
prosecuting agency for further action. In addition on 8 September
2020, troops of Operation Ayem Akpatuma III killed a militia leader
Terwase Akwaza alias Gana during an encounter with troops around
Gboko in Benue State. Forty members of his gang were also captured
alongside arms and ammunition.

15. As part of Civil Military Cooperation activities within the
period under review, Headquarters Operation SAFE HAVEN fostered
several stakeholders meetings with community leaders in various
parts of Plateau and Kaduna States. Areas covered include: Bassa,
Jos, Barkin Ladi, and Riyom Local Government Areas of Plateau
State, as well as Jama’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
This move is expected to achieve the desired result with the
provision of credible and actionable intelligence specifically from
primary sources. In this regard, the locals are requested to
cooperate with the security agencies by availing them with the
required information that will be useful to our collective
objective of taking out the criminals from the zone.

SOUTH-SOUTH ZONE
16. Troops of Operation DELTA SAFE have intensified the fight
against crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism and illegal oil
bunkering in the zone with significant successes. Within the period
under review, Nigerian Navy Ship DELTA patrol team located a dugout
pit with about 1,257.96 barrels of product suspected to be stolen
crude oil at Ogbodede Creek in Warri South Local Government Area of
Delta State. Also, the team discovered an oven laden with about
18.86 barrels of crude and 5,000 litres of illegally refined AGO.
The dugout pit and oven with the products were dismantled.

17. Similarly, Forward Operating Base BONNY patrol team
discovered an illegal refining site in Ataba, Andoni Local
Government Area of Rivers State. The site had 2 metal storage tanks
laden with about 301.91 barrels of product suspected to be stolen
crude oil and one metal tank laden with about 34,000litres of
product suspected to be illegally refined AGO. Also, the team
discovered 5 storage facilities made with tarpaulin inside the
swamp laden with about 4,717.35 barrels of product suspected to be
stolen crude oil. Similarly, 2 large wooden boats laden with about
1,069.26 barrels of product suspected to be stolen crude oil were
discovered inside the creek. The storage facilities and wooden
boats were dismantled.

18. In the same vein, troops of 222 Battalion destroyed an
illegal refining site at Eniabedi Community in Isoko North Local
Government Area of Delta State. Furthermore, troops of 16 Brigade
Garrison discovered and destroyed an illegal oil refinery
containing unspecified amount of illegally refined petroleum
products at Abua in Abua/Odua Local Government Area of Rivers
State. Relatedly, troops of 146 Battalion on patrol intercepted one
wooden boat laden with unspecified amount of stolen crude oil at
Berger jetty at Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State.

19. In another development, Subsidiary operations CALM WATERS II
and SWIFT RESPONSE have continued to record remarkable successes.
Within the period under review, Nigerian Navy Ship VICTORY patrol
team intercepted and arrested a wooden boat with 4 Nigerian
suspects and laden with 1,482 bags of foreign parboiled rice around
Tom Shot Island Breakwaters by Agbana-West along Calabar Channel.
The bags of rice were smuggled from Dimbola Fishing Port in Limbe
in the Republic of Cameroun and destined for Oron in Akwa Ibom
State.

20. The Armed Forces of Nigeria will sustain the onslaught
against economic sabotage. The general public is hereby enjoined to
continue to provide timely and credible information to the
troops.

SECURITY ALERT
21. Sequel to the security alert by a purported memorandum from the
Nigeria Customs Service warning it’s staff on a possible attack on
the FCT, the Defence Headquarters once again wish to reassure
residents of FCT and other adjoining States that the Armed Forces
of Nigeria and other security agencies have been on red alert to
combat crime and ensure effective surveillance of the Federal
Capital Territory and other States of the country. The Armed Forces
of Nigeria working together with other security and response
agencies particularly the core intelligence agencies hereby assure
the general public that preventive and preemptive intelligence
operations are ongoing. The general public is thus advised to go
about their lawful businesses undeterred.

22. The Military High Command congratulates all the gallant
troops of the Armed Forces and personnel of other security agencies
for the feats recorded in various operations across the country.
Troops are further encouraged to remain dogged and sustain the
tempo in all the Joint Operations Areas. The High Command of the
Armed Forces also reassures the general public of its unwavering
commitment to securing the country for all human activities to
strive. Members of the general public are, as always, enjoined to
continue providing timely information on the activities of
criminals in their various localities to the nearest military and
other security agencies location for prompt and effective action.
Thank you.

JOHN ENENCHE
Major General
Coordinator
Defence Media Operations
Defence Headquarters
10 September 2020