Cult clash claims 3 in Anambra
Ten people have been shot dead when gunmen invaded Tor Donga community in Gaambe-ya District, Katsina- Ala Local Government Area of Benue State. The assailants also injured scores of others. But the Benue State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Moses Yamu, who confirmed the attack, said only three persons were killed.
Also, three persons were killed during a clash between members of Aye and Baga fraternities at Umusiome Nkpor in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State. More than 10 others sustained various degrees of injury.
Yesterday, men of the Joint Military Task Force deployed to the Niger Delta, Operation Delta Safe, said they had killed five suspected militants, two pirates and arrested three suspects in several operations in the past three days.
This came as the Nigerian Navy (NNS Delta) yesterday paraded 75 persons suspected to be involved in illegal oil bunkering, militancy, kidnapping and impersonation of naval officers. In Benue State, Yamu saidinvestigation into the attack had commenced and the killers would soon be brought to book.
It was learnt that the assailants, who were on two motorcycles, invaded the town about 9p.m. on Tuesday. They went straight to a popular drinking joint where they opened fire on customers. At least, 10 persons died on the spot. Witnesses said many other persons who sustained various degrees of injury were rushed to an undisclosed hospital for medical attention.
The Sole Administrator of the local government, Mrs. Vera Akua, condemned the attack, which he described as most unfortunate and barbaric. Akua, who spoke through her Special Assistant on Media, Godwin Iwanan, expressed concern that the attack was coming barely a month after a traditional ruler in the area was gruesomely murdered by yet to be unidentified persons.
She regretted that the acts of cruelty were being perpetrated at a time government was making concerted efforts towards ridding the state of criminal elements as exemplified by the stick approach of the Governor Samuel Ortom’s amnesty programme. The sole administrator condoled with the families of those who lost their lives as well as the injured.
She appealed to the people to remain calm and assured them that government would do everything possible to ensure the safety of lives and property in the area. In the cult clash in Umusiome Nkpor, trouble started when Aye stormed the stronghold of Baga on Tuesday and reportedly killed one of its members. Dissatisfied with the loss of their member to the rampaging Aye group, armed members of Baga yesterday went on a revenge mission at Umusiome.
They killed two of Aye members and left over five injured. As at the time of filing this report, residents have deserted the area for fear of being arrested by security operatives. When contacted, the Commander of the Anti-Cult Squad, Mr. Ali Okechukwu, declined to make comment.
He referred our correspondent to the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Nkiru Nwude. However, when contacted on the phone, the PPRO denied knowledge of the incident. Troops of Operation Delta Safe also rescued a boat laden with rice and passengers from suspected Niger Delta militants who were killed in the rescue effort on Parrot Island in Bakassi Local Government Area of Cross River State.
The spokesman for the joint task force, Lt.-Cdr. Thomas Osuji, said yesterday that the feats were achieved in the ongoing operations against criminals and oil thieves in the Niger Delta region. According to Otuji, troops of Sector 4 and local vigilance group ambushed and killed five suspected Bakassi Strike Force militants, who hijacked the cargo-laden boat and passengers.
He said: “The militants had earlier seized the boat conveying large quantities of rice from a marketer and passengers on board and the owner of the rice was asked to pay N500,000 ransom. “The troop placed ‘bait’ during the rescue operation and later professionally engaged the militants in gun duel, killed five of them and rescued the passengers unhurt.”
Meanwhile, the Navy said it also impounded three vessels and 80 Cotonu boats loaded with stolen crude oil. Commander NNS Delta, Commodore Joseph Djunve, who paraded the suspects, the impounded vessels and boats at the NNS base in Warri yesterday, said they were arrested in different parts of the Niger Delta particularly in Delta State.
According to him, the arrests were made during operations carried out by the Operation Delta Safe team in compliance with the directive of the Chief of Naval staff who wanted zero tolerance for illegal oil bunkering, piracy and other criminal activities. Djunve said many of the arrested persons were involved in destroying pipelines and stealing crude oil which “they cook at illicit refining camps to produce diesel and kerosene”.
He said: “All manners of weapons were fabricated at a workshop we uncovered and intelligence indicated that they also used their equipment to rupture pipelines to steal petroleum products. A box full of all sorts of equipment used in the illicit act was paraded with the suspects at the Naval Base in Warri.” Djunve also disclosed that several of the seized boats and products were anchored at the Sapele Naval yard.
One of the arrested persons, who gave his name as Joseph Oba, said he was a loyalist of the Farah Dagogo, a militant leader in Bayelsa State. He added that he was invited by some persons to join the gang without knowing what he was walking into.
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