NAF Strikes Illegal Refineries, Militants’ Camps
A number of airstrikes carried out by Operation Delta Safe’s (OPDS) air component were effective in destroying three illegal refineries in Rivers State and three militant/pirate bases in Cross River State, respectively.
This was said in a statement provided to defense reporters on Sunday in Abuja by Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, the NAF’s director of public relations and information.
The NAF Spokesperson stated that the airstrikes were executed in continuation of efforts aimed at containing the activities of terrorists, militants, and other criminal elements bent on destabilizing the nation and making life unbearable for peace-loving Nigerians.
He explained that the air component of OPDS on 27 August carried out air interdiction missions on some illegal refining sites located at Cawthorne Channels, Bille, and Gogokori in the Degema local Government area of Rivers State.
He said the airstrikes were undertaken after the sites were observed to consist of illegal refining sites.
He said that at Gogokori, a Cotonou boat observed to be loaded with illegally refined products and heading into open waters was also engaged and destroyed.
The Director added that similar strikes were conducted at Idama in the Akuku‐toru local government area and Omoma in the Degema local government area of Rivers State following intelligence of refining activities at the two locations.
He said the reservoirs were subsequently engaged, destroyed, and engulfed in flames.
According to him, earlier on 25 August, the air component attacked identified militants/pirates’ camps in Cross River State.
He identified the various militant/pirate Camps as Big Joe’s Camp, Sunny’s Camp, Davids’ Camp in the Bakassi local government area, and Amos Camps in the Calabar South local government Area.l
The NAF spokesman added that the air strikes were authorized after confirming the locations to be littered with criminals and their activities.
“The strikes led to pandemonium with several kidnapped victims seen escaping., he further added
He said that some of the militants who attempted to escape through their various escape routes were mopped up.
According to him, “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,” he said.
” Furthermore, in the Northeast, strikes were conducted on 25 August at Chinene, a persistent terrorists’ hideout in Mandara mountains which has been struck on several occasions in the past.
” The air component, having observed the area to host a gathering of terrorists and their activities continually, struck the location with several terrorists neutralized while others fled for their lives.
He appealed that the NAF, alongside other security agencies, remained focused on undertaking their assigned tasks.
He, therefore, called on Nigerians to see themselves as part of the solution to these challenges through the provision of actionable information to security agencies.
