The
Commander of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta, Rear Admiral
Suleman Apochi, on Sunday commended the gallantry of soldiers who recently
repelled an attack by militants on the JTF’s troops in Ondo State. The JTF troops had killed a suspected militant
leader in a shoot-out with militants in Ondo state, and one soldier was also
killed during the incident that occurred on April 30.
Vanguard reported that Apochi told
newsmen in an interview in Yenagoa that the JTF under his command remained
committed to protecting innocent citizens residing in the Niger Delta region.
He said it was regrettable that troops deployed on routine patrols to secure
oil infrastructure were targeted in unprovoked attacks. He explained that the soldiers
were ambushed but they quickly recovered and repelled the attack, while the
militants took to their heels when they realised that their leader was killed.
The commander said the hoodlums fled with gunshot wounds.
According to the
Commander, the military has reopened the Ono-Lagos waterways and made it
navigable after the militants’ group led by late Ossy Ibori had blocked the
route for four months. He noted that the relative peace and reduced incidents
of attacks on oil facilities were a result of the tireless efforts of the Joint
Military Force deployed to the region and called for the support and
understanding of the people of the area. “Our people need to understand the
sacrifices of the military as patriotic citizens who have volunteered to protect
them and give them the support they need in the line of duty, we are trained to
defend people.
“In the ongoing operation to fish out those responsible for the
attack, we are very careful not to harm innocent people and we shall make no
mistake about it, but anyone who habours or protects criminals will lose that
immunity. “We shall go after anyone or community that shields the criminals,”
Apohi warned.
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