Naval officers recovers AK-47 rifles, ammunition from suspected robbers
Naval operatives of the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS SOROH) have recovered two AK-47 rifles, six AK-47 magazines and 133 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition from sea robbers in Bayelsa State.
The Navy also deactivated a local wooden boat used to convey illegal crude oil products in the state.
The Commander, NNS SOROH, Commodore Olushina Ojebode, disclosed this yesterday during a press briefing at the Naval Base in Yenagoa, the state capital.
Ojebode stated that the personnel of NNS SOROH during a water patrol at Gbaram community of Agbadam-Foropa encountered six armed men in a speedboat who attempted to attack the troops.
According to him, the troops overpowered the armed men with superior firepower in the fight that ensued which made the sea robbers to flee.
Ojebode said: “The items recovered from the armed men include arms and ammunition; two AK-47 rifles, six AK-47 magazines, 133 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, and one small Techno phone, among others.
“In another development, own troops during an anti-crude oil theft operation at Southern Ijaw discovered a wooden boat laden with illegal crude oil products. Accordingly, the boat was deactivated in line with extant regulation and standard operating procedure.”
The Commander vowed that with the successful operations at Tebidaba, Furopa and Ezetu, combing the Bayelsa maritime environment for oil thieves and operators of illegal bunkering and sundry crimes was non-negotiable.
He assured Bayelsans and by extension, Nigerians of a renewed effort to provide adequate security within Nigeria’s maritime domain, saying it was in pursuant of the mandate of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Ikechukuwu Ogalla.
Ojebode urged those involved in illegal activities to have a rethink and seek legitimate source of livelihoods or else the full weight of the Force would catch up with them.
The Commander, while commending the troops for their gallantry and high level of professionalism, urged all law-abiding Bayelsans to continue to support the military and other security agencies with credible and actionable information that would assist in operations against the criminal elements.
The Commander later took a five-minute boat ride through the Epie Creek to Famgbe in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa where his personnel deactivated the local boat used for oil theft.
