THE army, yesterday, confirmed the death of 20 cultists in an exchange of gunfire between soldiers and the cultists at Nembe waterfront in Rivers State on Friday night, thus bringing the death toll in the cult clash that started on Tuesday to 26.
Besides, gunmen suspected to have been hired by crude oil thieves whose 111 illegal refineries were recently demolished by the Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta, Saturday night, attacked soldiers in Bomadi, Delta State in retaliation to the demolition.
And in Ondo State, gunmen claiming to be members of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), yesterday, kidnapped nine chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ese-Odo Local Government Area of the state.
Spokesman for the JTF, Lieutenant Col Sagi Musa, told Vanguard yesterday that the army was poised to stop the cult clash from claiming innocent lives. The clash is currently restricted to Abonnema in Akukutoru local government area.
He said it was in line with this spirit that the army had to encounter the cultists Friday night at Nembe waterside, killing about 20 of them. He urged residents and people of the state not to panic over the inter cult clash as security operatives were monitoring the situation.
The clash between two cult groups allegedly led by Soboma George and Farah Dagogo started in Abonnema and is threatening to spread to other parts of the state where they have their strongholds. At Abonnema last Tuesday, about four persons, including a soldier and three members of the cult groups lost their lives.
On Thursday at Harris town, two persons were also killed in the clash.
�As security agencies we are not worried about the clash among the cult groups in the state that started on Tuesday. Let them expend their ammunition on themselves.
This inter-cult war is like a sign of good omen from security point of view so long as it does not affect innocent lives. With what is happening now we are seeing the end of militancy in the state,� Lt-Col Musa said, adding: �Security agencies are monitoring the situation to see that it does not claim innocent lives. It is to protect innocent lives that we had to intervene in Abonnema also.�
He said the cultists attempted to carry out a surprise attack on men of the JTF stationed at Ogoloma jetty last Wednesday but got what they did not bargain for as two of their boats with the occupants were sunk.
�I remember at Ogoloma jetty they attempted to surprise our troops located to Guard Caw Thorn channel, Marine Base territorial waters etc. When they came close, our gunboats sank two of their speed boats with the occupants.
It is not always we like to say this or that number has been killed. We don�t like counting death tolls on the pages of newspapers. This is why we don�t record our operational successes on the pages of the papers,� he said.
Crude oil thieves attack JTF in Delta
Meanwhile, gunmen, suspected to have been hired by crude oil thieves whose illegal refineries, totalling 111 were uncovered and demolished by the Joint Task Force (JTF) on the Niger Delta at Tuomo community in Burutu local government area of Delta State, weekend, launched an attack on the troops at their location in Bomadi.
Commander of the JTF, Brigadier-General Nanven Rimtip, had while briefing members of the House of Representatives who visited him in Warri on the demolition of the illegal refineries said there were many more of the local refineries, and his troops would continue with the foray and pulling down.
�It was probably to stop the task force that the crude oil thieves organised some criminals, posing as Niger Delta militants to attack the troops,� a source said.
Vanguard gathered that there was a heavy exchange of gunfire between the oil bunkerers and men of the task force but the extent of damage was not known.
Coordinator of the Joint Media Centre of the JTF headquarters, Lt. Col Rabe Abubakar, confirmed to Vanguard when contacted: �There was an encounter yesterday (Saturday) night between our troops and militants at our duty location at Bomadi and no single casualty on our own troops.
�The Commander, JTF, Brigadier-General Nanven Rimtip, has condemned the development and warned those behind it to stop or the task force will be left with no option than to pay back, which will be catastrophic,� he warned.
�General Rimtip assured the public and oil companies that the JTF are on top of the situation and reiterated his commitment in curbing the menace of illegal oil bunkering activities and other crimes in the region,� he said.
MEND kidnaps 9 PDP chiefs in Ondo
Also yesterday, gunmen claiming to be militants of the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) kidnapped nine chieftains of the People�s Democratic Party (PDP) at Agadagba, in Ese-odo council area of Ondo State.
Those kidnapped included a Special Adviser on Chieftaincy Matters in Ese-Odo Local Government Area, Chief Normal Eleme, Kekemeke Mike, Maimaise Kekemeke, Okey Inakedou, Friday Okeamniniwei, Oriamaja Success, Patrick Kemini, Onuwe Bibi and Edwin Okakpo.
Police in the state confirmed that they had a report on the kidnap and were already investigating it.
Information, Mobilisation and Orientation Commissioner, Mr Eddy Olafeso, said the act was criminal and the state government would not allow such uncivilised brigandage in the state.
Olafeso warned youths in the state to desist from such act as it would paint the state as uncivilised and crisis-ridden.
Only recently, 11 chieftains of the party in the state were kidnapped and the militants demanded N500 million ransom.
Secretary to the State Government, Mr Isaacs Kekemeke, in his reaction described the development as a survival war. Kekemeke who confirmed the kidnap said the �so-called criminals are afraid that some leaders of the area are out to dislodge them and they are fighting back.
�Why are they afraid that some people have guns? They are just frightened that the people are prepared to flush them out of the area and they think the next thing to do is to kidnap their kinsmen.
�The MEND men are blackmailers, they are going into militancy to collect money from government.
�They were trying to create economic and political empire for themselves. Their action was illegal and unconstitutional because they were not authorised by government to be carrying guns,� he said.
But Secretary-General of MEND in the state, Mr Ajija Bonanawei, said they would not release the politicians until the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Isaac Kekemeke, submitted all the arms and ammunition allegedly in his armoury at Agadagba.
Bonanawei said the group had also intercepted some youths in 10 speed boats in Arogbo town, Ese-Odo council area that were allegedly mobilised to cause mayhem in the state.
According to him, three AK-47 guns could only be recovered from the armed group while a large number of them were at large with a large cache of arms.
Bonanawei said the men were arrested at Agadagba during a shoot out between them and MEND while they were being mobilised to unleash terror on the people of the state.
Source: The Vanguard