12 November 2012, Sweetcrude, PORT HARCOURT – THE Joint Task Force, JTF, operating in the Niger Delta says it is recording successes in the war against crude oil theft and illegal bunkering in the region.
Brig.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, Commander of the 2 Brigade and Sector 2 of the JTF, said this in Port Harcourt on Monday at the inauguration of six-block of component commanders’ residential quarters for senior officers of the task force.
The quarters were allocated to officers of the task force from the Navy, State Security Service, Police and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.
Buratai said the JTF, through its aggressive intelligence and commitment, had uncovered, arrested and prosecuted many illegal oil bunkering suspects and thieves in the Niger Delta.
“Since our assumption of responsibility of the (JTF) Pulo Shield, we have made tremendous progress in the anti-bunkering, illegal bunkering, anti-piracy operations and sundry crimes, especially pipeline vandalism and oil theft.
“The Brigade (Sector 2) has also moved into other directions in support of the civil police in anti-kidnappings, anti-armed robbery operations and we have made tremendous successes.
“We want to assure the good people of Rivers and Bayelsa that we are up to the task and facing such challenges squarely.”
Buratai said the newly-built accommodations would improve the functionality of the component commanders as well as reduce hotel bills and security challenge faced by the officers.
Maj.-Gen. Jao Ochoga, Commander of the Joint Task Force, Pulo Shield, operating in the Niger Delta, commended Buratai for his infrastructural development initiative within the barracks.
“When operation Pulo Shield came into being and the Brigade was made part of it; the challenges we had was that operation Pulo Shield, as a multi-agency outfit, had no place within the Brigade settings.
“So unavailable resources were expended to keeping these officers in a hotel and with this accommodation provided within the barracks, the officers will feel more secured to do their jobs without any fear or hindrance
