…As troops arrest 16 cultists in Plateau
Personnel of the Nigerian Navy (NN) destroyed scores of illegal refineries Tangolo Susu, Oputumbi and Promise Land, Edeoha Community, and Oghara in Bonny and Edeoha Local Government Areas of Rivers state and Ethiope West of Delta state.
Coordinator Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. John Enenche disclosed this during a press briefing at the Defence Headquarters Abuja on the activities of the military across the country. He said the troops also arrested one suspected gunrunner with one AK 47 rifle and 2 magazines loaded with 7.62mm special ammunition around Road Elele-Owerri in Rivers State.
Enenche also said troops of Operations CALM WATERS II and SWIFT RESPONSE also intercepted several bags of foreign parboiled rice suspected to be smuggled from Cameroon and handed to Nigeria Customs Service, this was as troops of Forward Operating Base IBAKA intercepted two wooden boats, with 61 drums of Premium Motor Spirit at lkang Creek, Cross River State. meant to be smuggled to the Republic of Cameroon through lkang waterways.
On troops operations in North Central, Enenche said troops of Operation SAFE HAVEN arrested 16 suspected cultists during a raid at Federal Low-cost area in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State. He said the suspected cultists were arrested with many weapons.
“The suspects are presently being profiled after which they will be handed over to the appropriate prosecution agency for further action,” he said.
Enenche further said that troops also raided a suspected drug peddler’s hideout at Afana village in Marsa district of Zangon-Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State, where they arrested one Ishaku Thomas. He said the troops recovered one locally made pistol, one cartridge, three 50kg sacks of substances suspected to be Cannabis Sativa.
He said troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE arrested three suspected kidnappers on 24 October 2020, at Mutum-Biyu village in Gassol Local Government Area of Taraba State. According to him, the arrests were made following actionable intelligence reports on the activities of the criminals in the area.
“On the same day, troops of 117 Battalion, in conjunction with local vigilantes, arrested a bandit, Ibrahim also known as “Yellow”, at Mararaba Udege in Nasarawa Local Government Area of Nasarawa State,” he said.
