MILITANTS who attacked the Dibi- and Olero Flow Stations in Delta State on Wednesday seized an unspecified number of weapons from the men of the Joint Task Force (JTF) on the Niger-Delta and the delay by the miliant group, identified as Deadly Underdogs to surrender the weapons to the army is generating fresh tension in the state.
Vanguard learnt that it was becasue of the missing rifles that the JTF bombarded Opuama community on Thursday following reports that the kingpins of the group were from that axis.
Commander of the JTF, Brigadier-General Nanven Rimtip confirmed to Vanguard when contacted, yesterday, that some rifles were snatched from his men by the militants but he declined to give further details.
Vanguard gathered that the JTF has embarked on an intensive search for the rifles and the said militants and their surveillance operations in the creek over the missing rifles is causing fresh tension.
The Delta Waterways Security Committee (DWSC), which met, yesterday, on the recent offensive by some militants is already working on how to recover the weapons.
It was reliably gathered that the JTF had in the meantime relaxed its military operation to enable the Committee to successfully step in and get the militants to surrender the weapons, otherwise, it would embark on tough military action to recover its weapons.