THE Joint Task Force (JTF) has accused militants in the Niger Delta of shifting to criminal activities like armed robbery and kidnapping and using them to terrorise the people in the region.
The JTF claimed that following its blockade of illegal bunkering as a source of major income for the militants, the spate of other criminal activities had sprung up.
The military security outfit therefore asked the people of the Niger Delta to be vigilant this Yuletide season and give necessary “timely information” that would lead to the apprehension of culprits.
In a statement yesterday, Coordinator, Joint Media Centre of the JTF, Lt. Col. Rabe Abubakar, said that in one of the growing cases of kidnappings, “a lecturer at the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Dr. Kuta Efekaurhobo was kidnapped by a four-man gang suspected to be militants. They came in a red Volkswagen Passat car with Registration Number: EDO 931 UBJ, at his residence in Oginibo Community of Ughelli South Local Coucil of Delta State. The victim, an Associate Professor was in the community for the traditional wedding of his daughter.”
Abubakar added that “the victim was trailed from Port Harcourt to his residence in Oginibo were he was accosted into a waiting speed boat before speeding off to an unknown destination. The kidnappers set fire on the vehicle they used which was suspected to be stolen for the operation. The motive of the kidnapping is not yet known. However, it may not be far from the fact that suspects are looking for ransom and also to portray the region as unsafe.”
According to the JTF spokesman, the kidnapping must have been masterminded from Port Harcourt as kidnap cases are “not so pronounced in Delta State in recent times.”
He, however, appealed to “the people of the region to give timely information to the security outfit for prompt action, reiterating the JTF’s capabilities in dealing with this incident and similar situations”. ”The Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation RESTORE HOPE and other security agencies have condemned this new trend in criminality in the Niger Delta and have swung into action in conjunction with other stakeholders to ensure that the victim is released without further delay,” he added.
He added:”JTF also reassured the people of Niger Delta that there is no cause for alarm as they are working hard to stop this unholy and heinous crimes which negates the principle of the struggle for the emancipation of Niger Deltans. Are kidnappings, hostage takings, armed robbery and illegal oil bunkering part of the advocate for the struggle of the emancipation of Niger Deltans – No, these are criminalities which must be fought and stopped.”
Abubakar said that the JTF also intercepted a four-man gang for “suspected armed robbery. The gang, he added were intercepted by JTF operatives on patrol as they were robbing a house in Delta Steel Complex. In the process of exchanging fire with the JTF troops, one of the armed robbers was killed and three others escaped with gunshot wounds of various degrees. Items recovered include one local pistol, one live cartridge and five mobile handsets. However, the body of the deceased armed robber and the items recovered have been handed over to the police