JTF Arrests 11 Vandals in Bayelsa

Posted by admin Bayelsa, Headlines, Niger Delta, State News Monday, December 20th, 2010

The Joint (Military) Task Force (JTF) on the Niger Delta yesterday arrested 11 suspected pipeline vandals including a native doctor along the creeks of the Delta with over 172,500 illegally refined petroleum products worth several millions of naira.
The suspects were arrested in two wooden boats popularly called “Pekpekpe” along the Igbomaturu creek in Southern Ijaw and Nembe creek in Nembe local government areas of the state.

The middle aged native doctor who hails from Ondo state described himself as victim circumstance, submitting that he was not a member of the team as being alleged but was hawking herbal medicine when he boarded the boat on his itinerant journey through the creeks selling his product.
He stated that as at the time the boat he boarded was intercepted by soldiers in Ikoromagbene area, eight people were on board but seven escaped by diving into the river, adding that he decided to stay put since he has nothing to hide, besides, he does not know how to swim as he was not a native to the area.

Briefing newsmen on the seizure of the illegally refined petroleum products, the Commander of the JTF, Major General Charles Omoregie said one of the boats tagged Cotonou was discovered during a raid carried out at Igbomaturu in Southern Ijaw local government area of the state.
According to him, the JTF swooped on the vandals following intelligence report on the location of the illegal refinery and the
activities of the vandals.
He said that the raid yielded fruit as a boat loaded with 340drum of illegally refined products was intercepted.

Omoregie disclosed that he personally intercepted the second boat along the Nembe creek during a tour of the Sector Two Command of the JTF operation, adding the Federal government through JTF would not relent in its efforts at ridding the region of criminals.

On the activities of the soldiers along the creeks of the Niger Delta, he said, the aim of the anti-illegal bunkering campaign is to seize, destroy the illegal products and prosecute the offenders, but not to kill or maim anyone.

Aside the eleven arrested vandals, the JTF commander said the command has in its custody other 11 vandals who were arrested in Tunu, where the Shell Petroleum Development Company flow station is located on a tip-off by indigenes of the Community.

In another development, the JTF Commander has asked for the inclusion of operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) in the security formation in order to makes the JTF operation easier.
Omoregie disclosed that “we have written for the inclusion of the EFCC in the team. They should be part of the team.”wp_posts