metro
Military destroys 23 illegal refineries, apprehends 42 oil thieves
Troops of “Operation Delta Safe” discovered and destroyed 23 illegal refining sites and apprehended 42 suspected oil thieves in the Niger Delta in the last fortnight.
The Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Musa Danmadami, made this known on Thursday in Abuja.
He spoke at the bi-weekly news briefing on the operations of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
Danmadami said: “Troops also conducted patrols and buggy operations in the zone during which several illegal refineries, storage tanks, wooden boats, coking ovens, dug out pits were destroyed.
“Cumulatively, within the two weeks in review, troops discovered and destroyed 23 illegal refining sites, 87 wooden boats, seven speed boats, 284 storage tanks, 160 coking ovens, three fibre boats and 18 dugout pits.
“Troops also recovered 2.5 litres of crude oil, 133,824 litres of diesel and 7,000 litres of kerosene.
“Also recovered were 16 tankers, one vessel, eight pumping machines, and two motorcycles.
“Forty-two criminals were arrested during the operations.
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“All recovered items and apprehended criminals were handed over to the appropriate authorities for further action.”
Danmadami said the troops continued to sustain aggressive patrols to curb crude oil theft and illegal bunkering within the Nigeria maritime environment to ensure the economic prosperity of the country.
He said the troops nabbed three suspected oil thieves who were tracked and monitored to Adige, Urhiakpa and Mission Road in Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State on October 6.
It was during the execution of “Operation Octopus Grip” he said.
He added that the troops also impounded a vessel, MT DEIMA, with capacity to hold 1500 tonnes of crude oil for illegal bunkering at Sara area of Escravos Channel on October 7.
The troops arrested the vessel’s eight crew members.
Danmadami said the vessel had six tank compartments loaded with unspecified quantity of crude oil
He said also that troops and other security agencies had not relented in efforts in the fight against criminal elements in the South East zone.
He added that troops of Operation AWATSE and operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps destroyed 15 hectares of Indian hemp at Mabu village in Ogun State on October 7.
He added that troops also recovered 258 bags of 50kg smuggled rice, 220 jerry cans of 30 litres petrol and four vehicles, just as they arrested two criminals and rescued two civilians, also in the South West.
“All recovered items, apprehended criminals and rescued civilians were handed over to the appropriate authorities for further action,” Danmadami said.
Eagle
metro
JUST IN: 4 feared killed as Arewa youths clash with police, union in Delta
JUST IN: 4 feared killed as Arewa youths clash with police, union in Delta
On Monday, March 18, four people were feared dead after a battle between security officers and Northern youths protesting the Commercial Motorcycle and Tricycle Operators Association’s (COMTOA) alleged extortion.
The teenagers, organized by the Arewa Union in Asaba, attacked the office of the Commercial Motorcycle and Tricycle Operators Association (COMTOA) in Asaba, seeking a split from the state-controlled body.
It was alleged that the youngsters invaded several parts of the Asaba metropolis, leaving damage in its path, before heading to the office of COMTOA, on Summit Road, where they attacked members of the COMTOA Taskforce, damaging vehicles, office furniture, and making off with computers and other goods
Director General of COMTOA, Uchenna Okafor (aka Kosoko) said: “The Arewa Community are trying to form their own union so that they can avoid paying money to the State Government.
“Last week Saturday, we got information that they were about to set up a union that is different from the one the Delta State Government has inaugurated.
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“We called the SA on the Arewa Community and the Sarki of Asaba and they denied it. At about 3.00 pm that day, it was discovered that they had already inaugurated their own Arewa Task Force and that was how it started.
“They started attacking people paying for tickets through COMTOA, chasing the task force and ticket sellers but we were not deterred because the revenue is for the government.
“Yesterday, we were around GRA with the Police to enforce the law against the movement of Keke riders from 10.00 pm when we were attacked again and we eventually left the area.
“This morning, about 300 Arewa tricycle riders came to our office to attack us with cutlasses, guns, and other arms. They broke doors, windows, stole laptops, generators and phones. They also ran away with bikes”.
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Coordinator of the Arewa Community on Sales of Tickets, Hashima Abubakar, condemned the youths for violent protest and appealed to them to negotiate instead of perpetrating violence.
In a post on X formerly (Twitter), Edafe said: “They are policemen deployed to quell an ongoing protest against one of the State Taskforce in Asaba pls.”
In another post on X, he said: “There was a violent protest this morning by Okada riders who had an issue last night with the state task force that led to the death of two persons. They mobilized in their numbers this morning, destroying properties and beating people, hence our men were deployed to control the situation before it turns to something else.”
JUST IN: 4 feared killed as Arewa youths clash with police, union in Delta
metro
Rivers: Five to die by hanging, lethal injection for killing OSPAC commander
Rivers: Five to die by hanging, lethal injection for killing OSPAC commander
In Rivers State, five persons indicted in the murder of one Umezuruike Alex have been sentenced to death.
They were convicted and sentenced on Monday on charges including conspiracy, cultism, murder and illegal possession of firearms by a High Court sitting in Port Harcourt.
Alex, prior to his murder, was Onelga Security Peace Advisory Committee, OSPAC, commander of Omudioga community in Emohua Local Government Area of the state.
OSPAC s a local vigilante group resident in some communities in different local government areas of Rivers State.
The convicts are Okechukwu Orji from Atali community in Obio-Akpor LGA, Igwe Promise, Iheanyi Igwe, Morrison Igwe, all from Omudioga in Emohua Local Government Area, and Goodness Monday from Akwa-Ibom State
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The trial Judge, Justice Sika Aprioku, acquitted the sixth defendant, Alex Deiwe.
The prosecution, led by Essein Edet, proved its case against the five convicts, Justice Aprioku affirmed.
Following the conviction, the judge sentenced the convicts to death by hanging, or, alternatively, administration of a lethal injection until confirmed dead.
The court disclosed that the convicted individuals not only murdered the OSPAC commander but were also involved in kidnapping and other criminal activities across the state prior to their arrest and prosecution.
The late Omudioga OSPAC commander, Alex, was brutally murdered and dismembered by cultists in 2021 for his efforts in combating criminal activities in the area
Rivers: Five to die by hanging, lethal injection for killing OSPAC commander
metro
Police confirm death of suicide bomber in Borno
Police confirm death of suicide bomber in Borno
The Borno State Police Command has confirmed an attempted suicide bombing in Biu Local Government Area, resulting in the death of the perpetrator and injuries to two bystanders.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Daso Nahum confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Monday.
Nahum said the event occurred around 8 pm on Sunday during the night prayers observed by Muslim faithful.
A male suicide bomber, suspected to be targeting a mosque, detonated an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) near the roundabout, resulting in his own death.
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“Two passersby who were wounded by the explosive were immediately rushed to a hospital for treatment,” the police spokesman said.
Responding to the incident, Nahum disclosed that security personnel were swiftly deployed to the scene to restore order.
He emphasized the importance of heightened vigilance, particularly during the holy month of Ramadan when late-night prayers are prevalent among Muslim communities.
He urged the public to remain vigilant and promptly report any suspicious activities to law enforcement agencies.
Police confirm death of suicide bomber in Borno
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