It was gathered that the deployment was made by the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Delta Safe (ODS), following concerns that militants were still attacking oil pipelines in spite of
peace talks between stakeholders of the region and the Federal Government.
The troops, it was learnt, were asked to identify and dismantle all the active militant camps used as operational bases by the hoodlums.
They were also directed to patrol the creeks, monitor vessels on the waterways and conduct stop-and-search operations on suspicious speedboats.
At one of the creeks identified as Sand-Sand Fishing Camp in Nembe, it was gathered that the troops came in contact with unrepentant members of a militant group who were making efforts to activate a dismantled militant camp.
A source from the ODS who spoke in confidence said the militants were trying to reactivate the camp to use it as a satellite base to constantly attack oil facilities located at the Nembe-Brass waterways.
He said the troops after gathering enough intelligence burst the camp and in the process confronted the militants in gun battle.
“It was not an easy operation because the militants were armed to the teeth. But we overpowered them and killed one of their leaders, popularly known as Edoboy. We are still pursuing others who fled into the creeks”, he said.
The source further added that most of the fleeing militants were fond of running into communities to make the operations of the troops difficult.
“They run into the communities whenever they are being pursued and mix up making it difficult to identify them. The communities are always afraid to identify them and most times, these hoodlums use them to make statements accusing JTF of violating their human rights.
“We are very professional and will not engage in any action or conduct that will drag the name of the military in the mud”, he said.
But the indigenes of the Sand-Sand community claimed that the troops invaded their community under the guise of looking for militants.
They accused the military of destroying scores of houses, churches and schools during the incident.
One of the indigenes, Chief Dede Francis, claimed that residents deserted the community alleging that displaced persons were suffering in bushes and neighbouring communities.
“We tried talking to them but it was futile. After hours of intimidation, they told us that some suspected members of the Niger Delta Avengers were chased into our community. They claimed there were exchanges of gun fire with their personnel by the suspected Avengers from the community.
“The invasion and search however left buildings, schools and churches destroyed. Only a school building was left standing. We are shocked. The so-called Avengers did not enter our community”, he said.
But the Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Centre (JMCC) of the ODS, Lt. Col. Olaolu Dauda, faulted the claims of Francis describing it as a big lie.
He said the true position of the operation at the Sand-Sand community, had been widely reported by the media.
He added that militants and persons, who were making bloody capital from the activities of hoodlums, were behind the claims that troops invaded the community and destroyed houses and churches.
Referring to a statement earlier issued on the operation by ODS, Olaolu said: “Troops of Sector 2, Bayelsa State, in conjunction with Special Forces conducted patrols at Sand-sand Fishing Camp and uncovered attempts by militants to reactivate an earlier-destroyed camp.
“The troops engaged the suspected militants and killed one of them popularly called ‘Edoboy’.
He was one of the notorious kinpins on the wanted list of security agencies who had been terrorizing innocent members of the communities in the area”.
Also,a Nembe Chief, Wilfred Ogbotobo, asked the ODS to do everything professionally possible to flush out militants from the Niger Delta creeks.
According to him criminals should not be pampered and any dialogue with militants amount to treating a full-blown criminality with kid gloves.
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