Oscarline Onwuemenyi
24 July 2016, Sweetcrude, Abuja – The Department of State Service (DSS), on Saturday, said its operatives arrested two alleged Niger Delta militants responsible for attacks on crude oil infrastructure in the South-South region of the country.
A statement on from the Service signed by one Tony Opuiyo, and obtained by our correspondent in Abuja, also said the Service arrested a Boko Haram militant planning attacks in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.
Opuiyo said the arrests were made due to ongoing tactical operations to degrade the capabilities and hideouts of criminal gangs and syndicates across the Federation.
He said on 21st July 2016, one Jones Abiri aka General Akotebe Darikoro was arrested by the Service in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
He said Darikoro is the leader of the Joint Revolutionary Council of the Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force (JNDLF), which has been furthering separatist tendencies in connivance with other criminal gangs in the Niger Delta region.
Darikoro, who is said to be operating under the nom-de-guerre “General-Kill and Bury”, has confessed and owned up to some criminal activities committed by the JNDLF.
The DSS said this include: the vandalism of Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) trunk line in Ogboinbiri, Southern Ijaw LGA and the bombing of oil pipeline belonging to Shell Development Company (SPDC) at Brass creek on 8th July 2016, all in Bayelsa State.
Also the threat messages to managements of NAOC and SPDC demanding for the payment of the sum of Five Hundred Million Naira (N500m), and Two Hundred and Fifty Million Naira (N250m) respectively.
He is said to have threatened to launch missile attacks against selected targets in Abuja including the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock.
The DSS said Darikoro also confessed to being the mastermind of the recently circulated hoax of planned overthrow of President Muhammadu Buhari,by the military.
Opuiyo also said in the statement that on 21st July 2016, one Stephen Mamayebo aka Oscar a suspected militant was arrested at Ompadec Primary School in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, in connection with the kidnap of an expatriate staff of Setraco Construction Company and subsequent murder of two soldiers, Sergent Garba Umar and private Bashir Kabiru along Ogbia-Nembe road on 5th April 2016.
Opuiyo added that the trio of Ismaila Shuaibu, Kabiru Nasiru, and Inusa Abdullahi was arrested during a tactical raid by the Service on 20th July 2016, at Travelers Mosque, along Kaduna-Zaria Highway in Igabi.