By PHILIP NWOSU
BARELY 24 hours after the ground troops, made up of Soldiers from 174 Battalion in Ikorodu and personnel of the Nigerian Navy Special Boat Service (SBS), started the ground operation to rid the creeks of Arepo and other areas of vandals and oil thieves, over 140 camps of the militants in the border towns of Ogun and Lagos states have been destroyed, Daily Sun can authoritatively report.
It was gathered that 75 camps were destroyed on Wednesday, while another 65 had earlier been destroyed on
Tuesday.
A key military source told Daily Sun that apart from destroying 140 camps, the military also recovered police
uniform bearing the rank of a corporal and a military uniform.
Other items that were recovered in the camps include; four dane guns 36 cartridges 20 cutlasses, two bags of Omo, half bag of Garri, half bag of rice, a computer set , a cheque book and an identity card.
Also Daily Sun learnt that eight speed boats allegedly belonging to the vandals were destroyed by the troops who are combing the creeks of Arepo, Ishawo, Awawa and other areas.
The movement of the ground troops came in the wake of security alert in Badagry area of Lagos over reports that militants had fled to the area.
Daily Sun learnt that the Commander of the ground troops is Lieutenant Colonel Julius Ogbobe, who is also the commander of the Land component of Operation Awatse.
Investigation around the Badagry area and other neighbouring communities showed that security agencies have
been deployed in strategic areas, and soldiers attached to the Lagos State security initiative commonly called Operation Mesa (OP MESA) have been deployed in strategic areas.