Militants reportedly laid siege on
pipelines in two different areas of the state - Reports say casualty sustained
was not much - Nigerian troops vow to keep monitoring the areas Niger Delta
militants who tried to bomb some pipelines have been dispersed by troops of the
343 Artillery Regiment of 2 Brigade in Bayelsa state on Sunday, May 29, 2016.
According to information made available by Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman, the
spokesperson of the Nigerian army, the troops made sure of total safety in
Gulobokri and Eweleso areas of Brass in the state during the incident that
happened early on Sunday morning. He said: “Today, 29th May 2016 in the early
hours of morning, troops of 343 Artillery Regiment of 2 Brigade, 82 Division of
the Nigerian Army, carried out patrol within the general area of Gulobokri and
Eweleso, around Brass area in Bayelsa State.
“During the exercise, the patrol team had
an encounter with some armed militants in 2 Speed boats with intents to blow up
Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) pipeline at Gulobokri. “The suspected vandals
opened fire on the patrol team. The troops responded with overwhelming superior
firepower and as a result, the suspected criminals sped off from the area with
many of them sustaining gunshot wounds. No casualty on the patrol team.
“Unfortunately, a personnel of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps
(NSCDC) attached to the team sustained gunshot wound. He has since been
evacuated and he is in a stable condition.”
In a similar incident, another patrol team
of the same unit of 82 Division Nigerian Army, on patrol to Perigbene House
Boat (HB) also encountered three speed boats suspected to be containing
militants about to attack another critical infrastructure in the area. “The
troops opened fire on them, killing most of them and injuring others. “However,
the casualty on militants cannot be ascertained as it was raining heavily and
the raging storm could not allow troops to go on pursuit of the escaping
criminals. “A mop up operation has been organized for those militants that
escaped with gunshot wounds and injuries as they may be receiving treatment in
the neighbouring communities. “With this development, troops would continue to
intensify patrol in the general area to avert further vandalization or attacks
in the area,” Colonel Usman’s statement further read. This development is
coming on the heels of a report that the federal government of Nigeria has
agreed on a cease fire with the militants from the region. Paul Boroh, the
presidential adviser on Niger-Delta matters and coordinator of the amnesty
programme, said that government and former militants agreed to end the pipeline
vandalism. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Boroh told this reporters on
May 28, Saturday, adding that the pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta region
was reducing the economic fortune of Nigeria and increasing sufferings of
Nigerians.
0 comments:
Post a Comment