Six militants, suspected to be members of Asari Dokubo’s Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF), were killed during an exchange of gunfire between them and men of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) at Samaa Community in Asari Toru Local Government area of Rivers State on Monday.
This came as suspected militants operating around the Bonny area in the state attacked a 25-passenger boat at Isaka River near Bonny Island on Monday and robbed occupants of their belongings, while a yet-to-be identified young girl was raped.
A PACON ONE service vessel was also reportedly attacked by the militants at Fairway Buoy, but was timely rescued by the JTF Naval men who were on patrol.
Confirming the various attacks, the Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Centre (JMCC), Colonel Rabe Abubakar said the militants, about five, attacked the passenger boat at Isaka River, and were dressed in camouflage uniforms with masked faces, saying there was no casualty recorded.
Colonel Abubakar, said the attack was carried out on a passenger boat occupied by Niger Deltans, wondering that “some people who claim that they are fighting to emancipate their people, are the ones raping, robbing and kidnapping them.”
The JTF image maker promised that the JTF would chase out the criminals wherever they might hide, adding that illegal bunkering which used to be their only source of wealth had been blocked, making them to resort to robbery, sea piracy and other inhuman activities.