In the heat of increasing attack on oil facilities in Nigeria’s Niger Delta, a military operation was set up to check the activities of militants that had resurged in 2015.

The resurgence has whipped up fears that kidnapping that was rampant in the region would return, another criminal activity that the ‘Operation Delta Safe’ is meant to check in the midst of hard-felt economic recession.

In Bayelsa State, in the southern region, three kidnapped persons have been rescued by troops of the Operation Delta Safe.

Peter Atijera, Lukeman Balogun and Pious John were rescued on Friday by troops deployed at Koluama who conducted a raid on Sea Pirates hideout in Kasabubou Forupa Waterways, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.

Speedboat mounted with Double Engine 115/80 Horse Power, two Binoculars and one Motorola radio were recovered in the raid.

The Coordinator of the Joint Media Campaign Centre of Operation Delta Safe, Lieutenant Colonel Olaolu Daudu, said that the rescue was made during a mop-up exercise of a joint task force in Niger Delta to clear the region of forms of criminality.

He said troops of Sector 2 while on anti-illegal bunkering patrol around Imiringi General Area in Ogbia Local Government of Bayelsa State also arrested one Mr Ebi Youbodha and recovered 33 Jerry cans with substance suspected to be illegally refined Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPR).

“The suspect is now undergoing preliminary investigations.”

In another development, Troops of Sector 1 in Delta State foiled an armed robbery attempt and rescued six civilians returning from the market along Bomadi Agadama road by Ohoro Junction in Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State.

The suspected armed robbers fled into the bush on sighting troops.

Lieutenant Colonel Daudu also said that troops of Sector 3 quelled a major fracas between the youths of Ayama village in Aladja community of Warri South West.

According to him, the crises led to the death of one Mr Sunday Obuche from Ayama Community.

“The presence of troops forestalled the degeneration of the crises and further loss of lives. The corpse of Mr Sunday Obuche has been deposited at Onvian Aladja Police Station while a meeting with the warring factions is being organised to forestall any reprisal attack.”

In another exercise, troops rescued three indigenous staff of LEX Oil earlier kidnapped on November 3 at Ikuru town of Andoni Local Government Area, Rivers State.

In another development, some troops in conjunction with personnel of Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) conducted a raid on suspected criminal/illegal drug dealers hideout at Emu Obodeti Community in Ndokwa West Local Government Area of Delta State.

The operation led to the arrest of one Mr Moses Eni and Mrs Boyi Kamanda while 55 bags of substance suspected to be Indian hemp were recovered.

The items are in the custody of the NDLEA in Kwale Delta State.

•Text courtesy of Channels TV. Photo shows operatives of Operation Operation Delta Safe.

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