The Joint Task Force (JTF) deployed to protect oil facility in the Niger Delta says it arrested five suspects for vandalising oil facilities and killed two suspected kidnappers in multiple raids conducted at the weekend.

Briefing newsmen on the operations, Commander of the JTF, Rear Admiral Suleman Apochi, said that the vandals had disrupted oil production by sabotaging the Tebidaba-Ogboinbiri-Brass pipeline operated by Nigeria Agip Oil Company.

Apochi, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Col. Jibril Abdullahi, noted that the successes recorded by the joint military operation was traceable to support by residents in the Niger Delta region and urged them to sustain the practice.

He said: “Our efforts in tackling the activities of pipeline vandals resulted in the arrest of suspected vandals that detonated dynamites resulting to the breach of an oil facility located at Tebidaba-Ogboinbiri-Brass pipeline in Bayelsa.

“Following the incident, troops acted on a tip off spotted suspected hideout at a fishing camp along Isonogbene in Southern Ijaw LGA of Bayelsa where three suspects were arrested for complicity in the vandalism incident.

“Similarly, troops deployed at Beneside location in Ekeremor LGA of Bayelsa also apprehended two alleged to have been responsible for sabotage and theft of wellhead 6 actuator device, an oil wellhead tool.

“Their criminal action led to disruption of the operations of the oil firm. The wellhead is currently under repairs.”

The Commander explained that in another development, troops deployed at Omoku forest in Rivers in response to a distress call engaged some suspected armed kidnappers in a gun duel leading to rescue of the kidnapped victim.

According to him, the engagement led to death of two of the suspected kidnappers while rescued victim is currently receiving treatment in a medical facility in Port Harcourt.

The Commander said that troops also raided a suspected pirates’ hideout at Eleme in Rivers where the suspects escaped and troops recovered several items including ammunition.

He said that amongst the items recovered include 23 rounds of 7.62 mm Ball special ammunition, one generating set and a 40 Horse Power Suzuki speed boat engine amongst others.