The Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Pulo Shield, has apprehended three-man gang of sea robbers along Twene in Torah community, Ikwerre Local Government Area, Rivers State.
The Media Coordinator, JTF, Lt. Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, said the sea bandits were armed with three AK47 rifles when operatives of the outfit arrested them.
Apart from the rifles, he said the operatives recovered 177 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition from the robbers.
He said the robbers were floating on a double-75 horsepower speedboat, waiting for their targets when luck ran out on them.
He said: “The sea robbers were arrested while prowling the waterways for opportunity targets.”
According to him, the patrol troops also apprehended six suspected thieves siphoning oil from Well Head 26 located at Ekuluma 11.
He said operatives of the outfit arrested 40 suspected oil thieves and destroyed 25 illegal refineries in various patrol operations — 24 of the suspects were nabbed in Delta State by troops of 3 and 19 battalions covering the Sector 1 area of responsibility of the JTF.
Nwachukwu said they were arrested at Mosagor Sapele Road, Egwu 1, Opumami, Asiagbere Creek in Gbekebor, Okufoma and Okwuagbede Communities in Ethiope West, Warri South ,Warri North and Okpe Local Government Areas of the state.
“The patrol troops also scuttled seven illegal crude oil distillation sites and 17 Cotonou boats, 16 steel reservoirs, 29 large plastic reservoirs and 3 welding machines used by the oil thieves for their illicit operation”, he said.
In a similar operation in Bayelsa State, he said troops of 343 Regiment and 5 Battalion of Sector 2 of the JTF patrolling the waterways arrested 10 suspected vandals.
He said they were apprehended at Bolbo, Opigni and Mansonkiri in Brass Local Government Area of the state while they were attempting to hack into AGIP pipeline in Nembe.
“The suspects were operating with a pumping machine, 15 angle iron, 5 metal pipes and other assorted pipeline vandalism equipment. The troops further scuttled 18 illegal oil distillation sites and 9 Cotonou boats conveying illegally stolen crude oil.”
He said the suspects would be handed over to prosecuting agencies after undergoing preliminary investigations. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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They have met their WATERLOO. Everyday is for the thief, one day is for the owner of the house. "One day, Monkey go go market, e no go come"
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