Military arrests B’Haram cameramen in Adamawa

The troops of the Nigerian Army have arrested a team of
cameramen believed to be working for the media arm of
the Boko Haram sect in Adamawa State.
A security source said that those arrested were “those
who video and take photographs during the attacks on
communities by the insurgents.”
It was stated that the terrorists were arrested while they
were attempting to flee from troops who dislodged them
from Adamawa State.
Another security source said they were arrested during a
mop up operation by troops around communities in
Adamawa.
One of our correspondents could not get the Director of
Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade, to
confirm the report as calls to his mobile telephone line
indicated that it was either switched off or in an area
outside network coverage.
Meanwhile, 12 suspected oil thieves were on Monday
handed over to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence
Corps by the Nigerian Navy.
The suspects were arrested for allegedly stealing 161,280
litres of diesel worth N30m in Asari-Toru Local
Government Area of Rivers State.
The Base Operations Officer of the Navy Ship
Pathfinder, Port Harcourt, Commander Chindo Yahaya,
who also handed over a barge, three wooden boats, a tug
boat and 172 drums of diesel to the NSCDC, said the
suspects were arrested at different locations in the area.
Yahaya explained that the barge named MV Saviour was
filled with 120,000 litres of diesel, adding that wooden boat
contained 172 drums and 41,280 litres of stolen diesel.
He said the barge, MV Saviour, contained 120, 000
litres of diesel, while the wooden boats carried a combined
capacity of 41, 280 litres of stolen diesel filled into 172
drums.
“On November 25, we went on patrol along Alakiri creek
in Asari-Toru Local Government Area based on
intelligence report of the presence of two barges; a tug boat
and some speed boats lifting crude oil and illegally refined
AGO (diesel).
“On arriving at Alakiri creek; the patrol team intercepted
a tug boat and a barge with five suspects. Also, on
December 1, based on intelligence report, we intercepted
three wooden boats loaded with about 172 drums containing
substance suspected to be illegally refined AGO at Iyalama
creek.
“Upon interrogation, they (suspects) were unable to offer
any convincing answers and as such, we have to hand
them over to the NSCDC for detailed investigation and
prosecution,” Yahaya said.
He, however, promised that the Nigerian Navy would
not relent in its fight against crime on the nation’s
waterways.
Yahaya observed that the efforts of the security outfits had
reduced the rate of oil theft and pipeline vandalization in
the country.
Receiving the suspects, the state NSCDC Deputy
Commandant, Mrs. Christy Abiakam, promised that the
corps would investigate the suspects and prosecute any of
them found culpable.