The Joint Military Task Force (JTF) said Wednesday its troops have recovered large quantities of arms and ammunition from Oporoza and Okerenkoko communities in Delta State. This is even as more displaced people from the crisis-ridden area trickle into other parts of the state, most visibly scared and hurrying into hiding with relatives and friends.
The temporary camp opened for the displaced at the General Hospital in Ogbeh Ijoh has been closed by the military on the claim that injured militants were being treated at the hospital as well.
The governor of Delta State, Emmanuel Uduaghan and some of his officials also Wednesday relocated their offices to Warri from Asaba to stay close to the scene of the crisis. An aide of the governor, who spoke under anonymity, said Mr. Uduaghan is going to be personally involved in efforts to bring an end to the hostilities and provide support for the displaced.
The spokesman for the task force, Rabe Abubakar, told the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday that the recoveries were made on Tuesday during a search and rescue mission.
"Large quantities of arms and ammunition, which include anti-aircraft guns, general purpose machine guns, rocket propelled grenades, locally made guns, machetes and native charms were recovered at Okerenkoko and Oporoza communities, all of Delta State, when the Joint Task Force moved its foot soldiers there for a Search and Rescue Operation yesterday," he said. "The operations at the two communities were executed after a reliable intelligence source fingered them as grouping points for the dislodged militants from former camps presently being occupied by the JTF."
Mr. Abubakar said the task force did not use jet fighters or helicopter gunships to execute its mission in the two communities and that infantry men recovered the weapons. He said the lives of Nigerians living in the Niger Delta region were precious and there was no reason why the military should use jets.
Meanwhile, the Senate on Wednesday directed its Committee on Defence and Army to investigate the crisis. The Senate President, David Mark, said that it was only after the committee had reported its findings that the assembly would formally react.
James Manager, Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Niger Delta, called on the Federal Government to end the current offensive against militants, during the assembly's plenary session. He described as harrowing, the plight of victims of the offensive by the military in Gbaramatu, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta.
"The people have been under military onslaught in the past six days. Innocent people have been killed," he said.
Speaking with newsmen after the Senate session, Mr. Manager called on the Federal Government to withdraw the military from the area to avert further loss of innocent lives.
"I believe that no responsible government will allow a parallel government to be in place," he said. "I am not in support of militancy. But when the attack becomes indiscriminate, that is where the problem lies."
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