From: TONY JOHN, Port Harcourt
The 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, says it has arrested a total of 49 suspects and destroyed 46 illegal oil bunkering camps during the period of Operation CROCODILE SMILE II, in their Area Of Responsibility (AOR) in the South-South geo-political zone.
The Division said the 49 suspects were arrested in 19 separate incidences for various offences ranging from cult-related activities, illegal oil bunkering, illegal possession of arms, narcotic activities, financing criminalities, kidnapping and others.
Deputy Director, Army Public Relations of 6 Division, Colonel Aminu Iliyasu, stated this, on Wednesday, in Port Harcourt, adding that the 46 illegal oil bunkering camps were discovered across Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Rivers State.
Col. Iliyasu further said that, through the relentless efforts of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the 6 Division, succeeded in bursting nine kidnap syndicates during the operation under review.
He disclosed that significant arrests were made, leading to the recovery of arms and ammunition, adding that the Division, through the cooperation of other sister agencies, recorded 13 cult-related cases across the AOR of the Division.
The Division’s spokesman said the Army exercise in the was successful, adding that the arrested suspects and exhibits had been handed over to relevant security agencies for possible prosecution.
The Army operation was conducted simultaneously across the Areas of Responsibility (AOR) of 2, 6, 81 and 82 Divisions of the Nigerian Army, covering parts of South-West, South-East and South-South geo-political zones of the country from October 7 to 28.
It was officially flagged off at Takwa Bay, Iti-Osa Local Government Area, Lagos State, in 81 Division AOR, on October 6, by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai.
The official closing ceremony was conducted by the Minister of Defence, Mansur Muhammad Dan-Ali, at the 6 Division Step Up Headquarters in Igwuruta, Ikwerre LGA of Rivers State, on October 30.