Nigerian troops destroy militant's camp

The military Joint Task Force (JTF) operating in the Niger Delta, Saturday morning made good its threat to take the fight to militants operating in Delta State, by deploying helicopter gunships and ground troops to raze one of the largest militant camps in the state.

Close to 60 militants were reportedly killed in the attack on the Camp Five base previously run by General Tompolo located in Warri South Local Government Area.

The spokesman of the military force and coordinator of the Joint Media Campaign Centre, Rabe Abubakar said Saturday that the military liberated six Filipinos and four Nigerians abducted by the militants when the Nigerian troops took over the base.

Mr. Abubakar said the troop also recovered MV Spirit, a tanker chartered by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) to deliver condensate to Warri, and another, unnamed cargo ship. The two ships were hijacked by militants from Camp Five at the Chanomi Creek, Delta State, last Wednesday. They also reportedly killed some troops.

Abubakar, however, said it was too soon to say that some soldiers were killed in the attack. He said although some soldiers were wounded and others were missing, they could not declare them dead until their bodies are recovered.

MEND'S threats

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), which professes to speak for the myriads of militant groups in the Niger Delta had on Thursday warned the military against any reprisal attack as a result of Wednesday's incident. The group had also declared the delta a ‘no- fly zone' to helicopters and float planes.

The Ijaw National Congress (INC), on Saturday, condemned the use of force by the Federal Government to solve the crisis in the region and called for a halt to military operations in the area.

The group, in a statement signed by its president, Atuboyedia Obianime; secretary, R.E.O Esite and publicity secretary, Victor Burubo, called on Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua to start the implementation of his stated amnesty for militants.

A source said the military action is part of a six-month long campaign to destroy all militant camps in the Niger Delta.

"The whole area around the Camp 5 is under our JTF control," Rabe said. "Everywhere is under control. The camp has been obliterated. Also, we have secured the NNPC chartered tanker, MV SPIRIT and the cargo ship hijacked by the militants. And the ship and vessel are intact. The militants now have got what they have been wishing for, a confrontation from JTF. And they are on the run."