The joint military operation deployed to the Niger Delta codenamed `Operation Pulo Shield’ has apprehended three suspected militants and pipeline vandals.
Maj.-Gen. Alani Okunlola, Commander of the military outfit, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yenagoa on Friday that the arrest followed intensified raids and patrols.
Okuniola explained that the raid carried out on Dec. 6 led to recovery of a cache of arms and ammunition by troops deployed to patrol Benin River and adjourning creeks in Itagbene, Warri North Local Government Area of Delta.
“The three suspects were arrested. The recovered items included one Light Machine Gun (LMG), 5 AK-47 rifles, One G3 rifle, and one LAR rifle.
“Others are 20 AK-47 magazines, two LAR rifle magazines and 415 rounds of 7.62 mm x 39 mm special ammunition, 229 x 7.62 NATO ammunition, 273 rounds of 5.65 ammunition, 10 dynamites and bundles of 2 detonating cords.
“The recovery of the arms and ammunition is as a result of the raids on suspected militants camps. The operation is a continuous one aimed at recovering all illegally acquired arms that have found their way into the Niger Delta region.”
He gave assurance that the suspects currently in the custody of `Operation Pulo Shield’, would be handed over to the prosecuting agencies after preliminary investigations.
The commander solicited the support of Niger Delta people for the campaign against oil theft and sundry crimes in the region by providing useful information to aid the troops in tracking miscreants in the area.
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