Policeman arrested with 17 cartons of ammunition meant for militants

The arrest of a police Sergeant for allegedly planning to supply ammunition to militants in the Niger Delta on Wednesday triggered heavy shooting in Warri, Delta State.

The naval component of the Joint Task Force, otherwise known as Operation Restore Hope, acting on a tip off, had stormed Makaiva Jetty, in Warri South Local Government Area and apprehended the policemen, whose name was given as Dickson Abere.

It was gathered that 17 cartons of ammunition were recovered from the Sergeant said to be serving with Mopol 31, Asaba, the Delta State capital.

A source told our correspondent that the naval team, on arrival at the Jetty around 11am on Wednesday, fired shots into the air to prevent possible resistance or attack by militants.

The shooting, which lasted for over 30 minutes, shattered the prevailing peace in the oil community as panic-stricken residents scampered for safety.

Warri is close to Gbaramatu Kingdom where some communities had, in past eight days, come under heavy bombardment by the JTF operatives in search of militants.

Our correspondent gathered that 13 suspected militants were also picked up from the Jetty by the security operatives.

Abere with service number 151149 and 13 suspected militants were being grilled at the Naval Intelligence Unit of the NNS Delta, as at 6pm on Wednesday.

When contacted, the JTF spokesman, Col. Rabe Abubakah, said he was yet to get details of the incident.

Meanwhile, the security situation in Gbaramatu Kingdom worsened on Wednesday as the JTF continued with its operations there.

Findings by our correspondent showed that the palace of the Pere of Gbaramatu and other properties, mostly those owned by suspected militants in the Kingdom, were destroyed by the soldiers.

The residents of the community, including the monarch, who was given a staff of office by the state Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, last month, were said to have fled the area before the military personnel arrived.

Abubakah confirmed the development, which he described as “the usual cordon and search operation.”

He said arms and ammunition were recovered in the operation, adding that the troops neither killed nor injured any of the residents.

Abubakah said, “Large quantity of arms and ammunition which include, anti-aircraft guns, general purpose machine guns, rocket propelled grenades, locally made guns, machetes and native charms, were recovered at Okerenkoko and Oporoza communities, all of Delta State, when the Joint Task Force moved its foot soldiers there for a search and rescue operation.

“The operations at the two communities were executed after a reliable intelligence source fingered them as grouping points for the dislodged militants from former camps presently being occupied by the JTF.”

However, Uduaghan arrived in Warri from Abuja on Wednesday, where he briefed President Umaru Yar’Adua, Vice- President Goodluck Jonathan, and the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshall Paul Dike, on the security situation in the state.

Reliable Government House sources said the governor had reached an accord with the Presidency on how to end the lingering face-off between the JTF and the militants in the state.

Uduaghan, in company with Brig.-Gen. Dominic Oneya (rtd.), later chaired an emergency security council convened to review the security situation in the state.