Troops of 146 Battalion, 16 Brigade Nigerian Army who were on patrol along Sucrucho-Kalarogbana Fishing Ports general area in Rivers State, Wednesday, discovered and destroyed a reactivated illegal oil dumb, the Nigerian Army has said.

In a statement issuedon Thursday, Director of Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Sani Usman disclosed that items recovered include a cooking pot, two storage tanks (iron and plastic) loaded with suspected stolen crude oil, a cylinder and a pumping machine.

Similarly, troops stationed at Forward Operation Base Ahoada, while on routine patrol around Ogbogu general area arrested a suspected cultist. Items recovered from the suspect, according to the Army, include local charms and substances suspected to be marijuana. The suspect has been handed over to SARS at Erema for further interrogation.

In a related development, following a tip off from well-meaning citizens, about suspected armed bandits terrorising residents of Ogbolo-Ogbolo community, combined troops and personnel of Mobile Police stationed at Akinima Division, carried out cordon and search operation in the area. Although the suspects fled the scene upon troops’ arrival, the combined team recovered two locally made guns loaded with cartridges and three machetes.

The troops also thwarted attempt by kidnappers to attack traders at Omoku market on the same day, in the aftermath of cultist rivalry at Uzochi community in Ahoada LGA, Rivers State. Troops also conducted aggressive patrol from Ogbogolo to Uzochi. Although normalcy has returned to the area, the Patrol Commander sensitised the inhabitants of the area on the need for peace.