The DHQ’s Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Saturday.
Buba said the troops also rescued 291 hostages, arrested 51 suspected oil thieves and recovered stolen crude worth N798.1m.
He said the suspected ammunition couriers identified as Danweri and Abubakar Hamza, were apprehended in Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State.
He added that the troops also within the week, recovered 146 assorted weapons and 2,599 assorted ammunition, comprising two PKT guns, 72 AK47 rifles, 33 fabricated rifles, 28 dane guns, among others.
Others, according to him, included 1,596 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 636 rounds of 7.62mm NATO, 111 rounds of 7.62 x 51mm ammo, 114 rounds of 7.62 x 54mm ammo, 25 rounds of 9mm ammo and 98 live cartridges.
Also recovered are three baofeng radios, three vehicles, 36 motorcycles, 40 mobile phones and the sum of N1.8m among other items.
“Meanwhile, in the Niger Delta area, troops discovered and destroyed 66 illegal refining sites, 68 crude oil cooking ovens, 13 dugout pits, 41 boats and 45 storage tanks.
“Other items recovered include; four speedboats, one pumping machine, 150 drums, one generator, two motorcycles, two mobile phones, one drone and five vehicles among others.
ALSO READ: Igala Forum Backs ADC's Leke Abejide For Kogi GovernorshipBy Abubakar Yunusa The Igala Leadership Forum (ILF), a distinguished assembly of Igala elites representing all nine local governments, including Bassa, has formally endorsed Hon. Leke Abejide, the gubernatorial candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), as the preferred choice for the upcoming Kogi State gubernatorial election.In a collective stance, the Igala group has expressed its concern over the state's prolonged underdevelopment, poverty, and insecurity, attributing these challenges to the lack of competent and honest leadership by successive governors over the past two decades.With a keen desire to bring about a transformative shift in the state's trajectory, the ILF earnestly urges the people of Kogi State to exercise their voting rights judiciously and select the most suitable candidate for the task at hand.The elite forum emphasizes that supporting Hon. Leke Abejide's candidacy aligns with their commitment to stand in solidarity with the people of Kogi West, who have consistently supported the Igala community. The group also takes a critical stance against Usman Jibrin of the Accord party and Muritala Yakubu Ajaka of the SDP, accusing them of leveraging the current Igala situation for personal gains and vendetta. The ILF asserts that such actions have diverted attention from the genuine aspirations of the Igala community, necessitating a redirection and repositioning ahead of future elections.Ibrahim Oma Koji Attah, in a statement on behalf of the ILF, affirms Hon. Leke's friendship and sensitivity towards the Igala community, praising his track record of avoiding reckless statements or derogatory remarks about the largest tribe in the state. Furthermore, Oma-Koji Attah extends a call to other Igala candidates, urging them to foster collaboration and ensure that the historical relationship between the East and the West remains mutually beneficial.The group uses this platform to firmly caution Yahaya Bello against resorting to thuggery during the 2023 elections, asserting that vigilant eyes will be monitoring the process to ensure a fair and just outcome. Additionally, the ILF condemns the continuous misappropriation of workers' salaries by the government and places confidence in the Leke/Omede ticket to address this pressing issue.Meanwhile,the ILF encourages the Igala and Bassa communities to regard the people of Okun as brothers, fostering unity among the regions. The group places responsibility on Igala leaders who have engaged in unscrupulous dealings with Usman Jibrin and Muritala Ajaka, thereby undermining the integrity of the 2023 election process. The ILF firmly maintains that the return of the Ebira community to Lugard House in January 2024 must not be allowed.
“Troops also recovered 657,470 litres of stolen crude oil, 127,870 litres of illegally refined AGO and 5,000 litres of DPK,” he said.
