Joint Military Task Force in the Niger Delta yesterday handed over three suspected militants arrested in Degema River State 20 suspected illegal oil bunkerers after a shootout and handed over to relevant security agencies for interrogation and prosecution.
A statement by JTF media coordinator, Colonel Rabe Abubakar, said his men were on routine patrol at Degema when they ran into the hoodlums who on sighting the security men, opened fire and the soldiers responded killing two of them and capturing three.
He said the turn of events in the region should make the hoodlums have a change of mind as well as dispel the rumour about human rights violations as they manifestly apply the rule of law and respect for individual rights in their rules of engagement.
On the suspected illegal oil bunkerers, he said they were arrested at the Utorogun Gas plant where apparently they were boring holes into pipelines to siphon condensate products.
Among those handed over to relevant security agencies at about midday yesterday according to the statement included one Mr. Augustine Dimoko alleged to be an informant to militants.
“The JTF will not relent in its efforts to secure lives and property of law-abiding citizens in the Niger Delta and it would not leave any stone unturned in achieving this feat,” Rabe said. He pleaded with people to always cooperate with them by giving them timely information to enable them plan ahead of the hoodlums as that would work in the greater national interest.
Apr252009