From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Troops attached to the Joint Task Force, Operation Pulo Shield (OPS), have killed four suspected militants in the wee hours of yesterday in a gun battle at Tuma House Boat in Rivers State.
The military action is coming on the heels of an attack on a military base at Ogboubagbene, Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State by suspected militants, which resulted in the death of one civilian.
Deputy Force Commander, Brigadier General Kevin Aligbe, who disclosed this during a press briefing at the Command headquarters in Yenagoa, noted that one civilian working on the boat died in the course of the attack.
“Some faceless criminals attacked our troops deployed at Tuma House Boat in Rivers State at about 0430 hours on Wednesday. The bandits were repelled by vigilant troops and they suffered heavy casualties while few of them ran into an adjoining creek. Effort is ongoing to fish them out and ascertain the numbers of the criminals killed during the duel. “Unfortunately, four soldiers were injured while one civilian died. Let me reiterate that this operation will do everything within the law to crack down on these criminals and their sponsors wherever they are.”
Aligbe, who seized the opportunity to shed light on the operations at Ogboubagbene community in Bomadi Local Government Area, pointed out those communities must not harbour criminals.
He advised them to reveal identities of the criminals as they will be smoked out from their hideouts to face justice.
“Let me seize this opportunity to inform the public that following malicious and unsubstantiated reports as bandied by some freelance agents indicating troops destructions of lives and property in the communities, the Deputy Force Commander/Land Component Commander, ODS, the paramount ruler of the community, Chief Godspower Oporomo, the Pere of Kerebiri as well as chiefs from 10 communities visited the scenes purportedly reported to have been razed down by troops.
Republic Of Biafra of present territory of the five south east states will not tolerate any poor northern bandits disguised war etc. against natives of south south nor will Republic Of Biafra not respond decisively to such insult against south south natives. Poor northern bandits cowards defeated by Cameroon forces are molesting south south natives without sense of shame.