Air Strikes Destroy Boats Ferrying Stolen Crude Oil in Niger Delta
•Air interdiction forces terrorists to seek negotiation with govt
Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Air strikes conducted by the Air Component of Operation Delta Safe (OPDS) struck boats ferrying stolen crude oil in a riverine area located west of Bonny Island and South of Port Harcourt in Rivers State.
The Nigerian Air Force said one of the operations occurred on Saturday August 5, 2023 at about four nautical miles South-east of Bille, a riverine area located west of Bonny Island and South of Port Harcourt, in Rivers State.
There are also strong indications that sustained air strikes by the Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji in the North-west forced terrorists kingpins in Katsina and Zamfara States to consider laying down arms to pave the way for negotiation with the federal government.
A statement by the spokesman of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, said the air strikes became necessary after three boats were sighted tapping crude oil from a pipeline.
“Consequently, the boats were engaged and destroyed by the aircraft. Flying towards Port Harcourt, the crew also observed an active illegal refining site with tanks and reservoirs loaded with suspected illegal refined products, about four miles South-east of Idama in Rivers State. The site was subsequently attacked and destroyed.
“Air strikes against these economic saboteurs will be sustained until they desist from their acts of economic sabotage,” it said.
The statement stated that the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, had since directed all air component commanders nationwide to ensure they team up with other security agencies to sustain air strikes on all criminal elements in the country.
According to him, “the days of treating criminal elements in our country with kids gloves is over. We must continue on this trajectory until we bring all of them to their knees.”
Meanwhile, there are also strong indications that sustained air strikes in the North-west had forced terrorists’ kingpins in Katsina and Zamfara States to consider dropping arms to pave way for negotiation with the federal government.
It was gathered that sustained bombardment resulted in fear and desperation on the part of the terrorists, who lamented that aerial bombardments continued to target them, their houses and animals.
A credible source privy to the concern of the non-state actors revealed that on July 15, 2023, Katsina-based terrorist kingpin, Usman Kachallah, met with his cohorts somewhere near Gusami Village in Birnin Magaji Local Government Area to discuss the situation.
Terrorists leaders alleged to have met with Kachalla to seek ways of approaching the government for an amicable settlement of the security situation included Abdullahi Danda, Alhaji Shingi and Lauwali Dumbulu, among others.
It was further gathered that during the meeting, most of the kingpins agreed to lay down their weapons to pave the way for peace but were worried about the continued aerial bombardment which had targeted them, their houses and animals.
