Two Suspected Militants Shot In Bayelsa

CHANNELS TV

Two suspected militants have been killed in the creeks of Bayelsa State by the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Delta Safe (ODS).

They were reportedly shot dead when the troops raided and destroyed their camp at Obama Flow Station in Nembe Local Government Area of the state.

A statement by a spokesman for the operation, Lieutenant Colonel Olaolu Daudu, said “troops of Sector Two carried out the raid following a tip-off by locals”.

Daudu identified one of the suspects as a notorious criminal popularly known as Labista.

“Labista, who was on the wanted list of security agencies, was said to be behind some high profile kidnapping, killing of security personnel in ambush, piracy, armed robbery and other criminal activities,” the statement read.

Daudu further said: “Labista and his cohort dived into the river in a bid to escape while the raid was ongoing and were engaged by troops. At the end of the operation the bodies of two notorious criminals were found floating on water.

“They were recovered and deposited at government mortuary.

“Items recovered are two single barrel guns, cutlass and four speed boats”.

He also quoted the Commander, ODS, Rear Admiral Apochi Suleiman, as assuring the people of the region of their safety and security.

Suleiman also encouraged the people not to condone any form of sabotage, vandalism or acts of criminality because of their negative effects on the environment and economy.

Militancy resurfaced in Niger Delta region of Nigeria in the second quarter of 2015, with the militants pushing for the emancipation of the region, attacking oil installations in the region.

Their activities last year forced Nigeria’s crude oil output down to less than a million barrels per day, according to Nigeria’s minister of information.