The Executive Governor of Delta State,Dr Emmanuel Uduagha has commended the Joint Task Operations  in the Niger Delta  for its effort in checkmating and eradication of oil theft and illegal oil bunkering in the Niger Delta describing the force as bedrock for sustenance of Nigerian Economy against Economic saboteurs. The Governor made this commendation during a courtesy on him by the commander joint  task force Operation Pulo Shield, Major General Emmanuel Atewe in Government house Asaba,Delta state.

       The Governor who received General Atewe in company of his Deputy  and other members of the Delta State Executive Council promised to accord JTF all necessary assistant and support it will require to effectively checkmate the activities of criminals in the state especially in the area of crude oil theft and illegal oil bunkering.”we will give you all necessary assistance  and support you will require to fight against these criminalities in the Region”,said Governor Uduagha who frowned on the prosecuting process of oil thieves which he said is faulty and slow.

     The Governor who doubled as the chairman of the National Committee on crude oil theft told the visiting General that plans are underway to establish a special court that will handle all oil related crimes .”The committee is working out modalities where all oil related crimes will pulled to the office of the Attorney of the federation for quick dispensation of justice”He urged the people of the Niger Delta to look beyond oil exploration by engaging in other ecomic activities like Agriculture and skill acquisition which according to him will go a long way in empowering the peoplein the area especially among the youth thereby reducing the crime rate in the region.

     Earlier in his address,the commander JTF,Major General Atewe said he is in Delta state to thank the Goverrnor and the good people of the state for their support and ccoperation in the fight against oil theft and pipeline vandals which he said exposes  and endangers the health of the inhabitants of the areas.”The ecosystem is being debasedand destroyed due to the act of these criminal in the mist.The environmental degradation we are experiencing now is as a result of constant rupturing and breaking of  the oil pipeline thereby causing spills in the environment which affect farming and fishing activities in the area”.General Atewe thanked the Governor for the donation of 10 patrol van vehicles to JTF for effective manning of Delta state and its environs.

  The commander also paid an operational visit sector 1 Headquarters (4 Brigade Benin),3,19 and 222 battalions .He was also at the Nigerian Navy Ship NNS DELTA and 81Air maritime Group where he commended the officers and men for their gallantry and determination in line with the commander JTF  zero tolerance campaign against crude oil theft and illegal oil bunkering .

Receiving JTF commander and its entourage to the headquarters of sector 1,the commander,Brigadier General Fidelis Okwudili Azinta thanked the commander for the visit which he said has boosted the morale of the troops under command and assured him of his troops zeal and determination to stamp out all form of illegalities in the region At the Headquarters of 81 Air maritime group the commander was received by Air commodore Charlse Oghomweh  who promised to provide necessary  aerial support to the task force in tackling  criminalities in Niger Delta saying constant patrols of maritime environment such as oil pipeline monitoring,protection of Nigerian coastal region and maritime surveillance remain the key function of the unit.

          In his response,General Atewe thanked the commander for his support in the fight against oil theft  and called for more synergy among security agencies.

      The JTF commander also visited the Nigerian Navy Ship NNS DELTA,a maritime component of the JTF and was received by the commanding Officer of the ship,Navy Captain Musa Gemu who assured the commander of his command readiness in tackling oil theft through effective patrol of the water ways of the Niger Delta in line with mandate of the Joint Task Force .Capt Gemu during his briefing hinted that the ship under his command has effectively provided security to major oil company terminals and platform to forestall criminal activities in the area which he said has drastically reduced illegalities in the region.

  The commander also visted 3,19 and 222 Battalions under the sector 1 Area Of Responsibilities of the JTF. At 3 battalion,the commander was briefed by the commanding Officer ,Lieutenant Colonel Bassey Okon who during the briefing told the commander that over 3000 illegal distillery camps has been brought to total extinction in the last three months and several suspects arrested for crimes bothering on oil theft ,piracy and kidnapping while assuring the unit determination to implement the zero tolerance campaign against oil thieves and illegal oil bunkering in the Niger Delta.The commander was also received at the tactical  Headquarters of the 19 battalion in koko town of warri North Local Government Area of Delta State by the commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Etim who during the briefing stated that the unit has intercepted and arrested two trucks and a saloon car used for illegal bunkering while 45 suspects have been arrested and are in various stages of prosecution.The commander was also in Headquarters  222 Battalion at ughelli in Delta state where he addressed the troops and enjoined them  to carry to carry out their job professionally and warned them to desit from any act capable of tarnishing the image of the task force. According to him,intergrity should be your watch word and the code of conduct must be strictly followed.   

   The Commander was accpmplanied on the visit by the co coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Centre of the JTF,Lieutnant Colonel Mustapha Anka,Component Commander Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp,Mr Elisha and other officers of the JTF. 

MA ANKA

Lieutenant Colonel

Coordinator

JMCC