APA – Lagos (Nigeria) The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says the air component of Operation Delta Safe (OPDS) and Operation Hadin Kai carried out successful air interdiction missions on some illegal refining sites and terrorists’ hideouts in Niger Delta in southern Nigeria and the North East regions of the country.
The Director of Public Relations and Information of the NAF, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, said in a statement on Sunday in Abuja that the air interdictions were in continuation of efforts to contain the activities of terrorists, militants and other criminal elements bent on destabilizing the country and make life unbearable to peace-loving Nigerians.
He disclosed that the air component of the OPDS had on August 27, carried out air interdiction missions on some illegal refining sites located at Cawthorne Channels, Bille and Gogokori in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State in south-eastern Nigeria.
He added that illegal refining sites were also attacked and destroyed in the area.
According to him, a Benin Republic (Cotonou) boat observed to be loaded with illegal refined products and heading into open waters was also engaged and destroyed at Gogokori.
He stated that similar strikes were also extended to Idama in Akuku‐Toru Local Government Area and Omoma in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State upon receipt of intelligence of refining activities at the two locations.
Gabkwet said also that overhead both locations, active illegal refining sites with reservoirs suspected to contain illegally refined products were sighted and that the reservoirs were subsequently engaged, destroyed and engulfed in flames.
He said that identified militants and pirates’ camps identified as Big Joe’s Camp, Sunny’s Camp, Davids’ Camp in Bakassi Local Government Area and Amos Camps in Calabar South Local Government Area in Cross River State in south-eastern Nigeria were on August 25, attacked by the air component of the OPDS.
He explained that the air strikes were authorised after confirming that the locations were littered with these criminals and their activities.
“Those that attempted to escape through their various escape routes were also attacked.
“In one of the suspected kidnappers’ camps, a lone structure suspected to be harbouring some kidnapped victims with armed men roaming around the structure was also attacked using guns on board the aircraft.
“The strikes led to pandemonium with several kidnapped victims seen escaping,” he said.
The NAF spokesman said that in the Northeast of the country, strikes were conducted on August 25 at Chinene, a persistent terrorists’ hideout in Mandara Mountains, which had been struck on several occasions in the past.
He disclosed that the location was struck with several terrorists neutralised having observed that the area had continually hosted the gathering of terrorists and their activities and that others fled for their lives.
According to him, the NAF aircraft has continued to give the requisite outcome, while denying non-state actors the freedom to perpetrate their nefarious acts at will.
“While the NAF alongside other security agencies remain focused in undertaking their assigned tasks, the need for all Nigerians to see themselves as part of the solution to these challenges through the provision of actionable information to security agencies cannot be overemphasized,” he added.
It will be recalled on a jet belonging to the air component of Operation Delta Safe had bombed three boats, while allegedly stealing crude oil from a pipeline in Rivers State earlier in August.
The jet struck the boat during one of its operations conducted around a riverine area between Bonny Island and South of Port Harcourt on Saturday, August 5.
According to Air Commodore, Edward Gabkwet, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, the crew discovered and destroyed an active illegal refining site with tanks and reservoirs loaded with suspected illegal refined products at the Idama area of Rivers State.
“These are not the best of times for oil thieves and their accomplices in the Niger Delta Region of Nigeria as the Air Component of Operation Delta Safe continues to strike at the heart of their activities. One of such operation occurred on Saturday, August 5, 2023, at about 4 nautical miles South-East of Bille, a riverine area located west of Bonny Island and South of Port Harcourt, in Rivers State.
“The air strikes became necessary after three boats were sighted tapping crude oil from a pipeline. Consequently, the boats were engaged and destroyed by the aircraft. Flying towards Port Harcourt, the crew also observed an active illegal refining site with tanks and reservoirs loaded with suspected illegal refined products, about four miles South-East of Idama in Rivers State. The site was subsequently attacked and destroyed,” Gabkwet said in a statement on Monday, August 7.
He disclosed that the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, had directed all air component commanders nationwide to team up with other security agencies as they sustain air strikes on all criminal elements in the country.
“The days of treating criminal elements in our country with kids’ gloves are over. We must continue on this trajectory until we bring all of them to their knees,” he added.
GIK/APA