Joint Military Task Force in Rivers State spared the country what would have been the biggest loss in the oil and gas sector yesterday, when it repelled an attack on Soku, the country’s oil and gas nerve-centre, by unidentified militants, eight of whom were killed.
The attack was said to have been launched by hoodlums in six speed boats at 1450hrs, aimed at destroying the gas facilities and seizing weapons from JTF personnel on ground, but met them on red alert.
Sources said the area erupted suddenly in gunfire, with the booming of JTF’s superior weaponry in a fight that lasted for over 45 minutes, at the end of which the JTF overwhelmed the militants.
At the end of the encounter, the speed boats with which the attack was mounted were sunk with its occupants, while one general purpose machine gun, one FN riffle and three AK47 riffles were recovered.
Contacted, Spokesman of the Force, Lt. Colonel Sagir Musa, said they had put all their formations on alert having got early intelligence report on the plots, hence their easily knocking them off and saving the facility.
“As I am speaking with you, I am in Soku where the encounter took place. Yes, I can confirm to you that the hoodlums tried to destroy the facility by attacking it, but they retreated with casualties. They attacked the place with six speed boats, armed with sophisticated weapons. However, our men on ground were on alert and repelled the attack without any casualty on our part”.
“Eight of the attackers were killed and their speed boats destroyed. We recovered from them a general purpose machine gun, FN riffle and three AK47 riffles. The intention was to destroy the facility and steal arms from our men on ground,” Sagir said.
Nov112008