Authorities of the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) code named ‘Operation Pulo Shield’ yesterday announced that it has intercepted a cache of arms and ammunition in the Ajudaibo Community in the Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State following a stop and search operation, leading to the arrest of three persons including a woman.
The seizure, was made on? Sunday, September 1,? by the soldiers attached to the 3rd Battalion of the Sector 1 command of the JTF and led by Lt Col Ifeayin Otu. The seizure reportedly? sparked off tension following claims and counter claims on the existence of more arms and ammunition in possession of prominent indigenes of the area.
In a statement yesterday in Yenagoa by the Head of the Media Coordinating Centre of the JTF, Lt.Col. Oyeama Nawachuckwu, the cordon and search operation at Ajudaibo in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State led to the recovery of five AK 47 magazines fully loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition each.
According to him, “another unloaded rounds amounting to 354 rounds of ammunition were recovered from the residence of one Endurance Anderson Obisko, a.k.a AK 47. Two suspects were arrested at the crime scene including a female”.
Reacting to the development in a separate statement sent to LEADERSHIP through the e-mail, a group known as the Warri Ijaw Peace Monitoring Group (WIPMG) speaking through its Chairman, Chief Patrick Bigha, said the seizure by the Joint Military Task Force portends danger for the Niger Delta region.
According to Bigha, ”it means that the Itsekiris have not surrendered all their arms and ammunition during the declaration of the presidential amnesty programme in the Niger Delta,or must have stock-piled arms and ammunition after the amnesty declaration”.
Furthermore, the group said,” It could be recalled that the Itsekiris, during the arms surrendering exercise of the amnesty programme, did say that they acquired arms and ammunition to defend themselves from their Ijaw neighbours.