Operatives of the Joint Task Force, JTF, yesterday invaded Azuzuama community in Southern Ijaw Local Government area of Bayelsa State in search of some suspected criminals hiding in the area.
The presence of the JTF operatives generated tension among inhabitants of the coastal community. National Mirror could not confirm as at the time of filing this report if the JTF personnel arrested any of the suspected criminals.
It was learnt that the manhunt for suspected kidnappers and sea pirates by the security agency was one of its routine operations to ensure sanity in the creeks. It will be recalled that some ex-militants ambushed and killed 11 policemen at Azuzuama on April 5, along the waterways.
Security agencies in the state are yet to make any headway on the arrest of the gunmen that killed the policemen. In a statement issued yesterday in Yenagoa by the spokesman of the JTF, Lt.- Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, the agency said its investigations revealed that kidnappers, sea robbers and other criminals had clandestinely developed hideouts in some parts of the creeks in South Ijaw Local Government of the state.
According to Nwachukwu, these suspected criminals launched attacks on unsuspecting victims going about their legitimate businesses in the waterways.
He continued: “Given our mandate to rid the Niger Delta of criminality, we are spurred by this unwholesome development to commence today, a cleanup operation of criminal hideouts where kidnappers and sea robbers hibernate.
“Our troops have successfully clamped down on four criminal hideouts at Azuzuama in Southern Ijaw Local Government.”
Nwachukwu urged all abiding citizens to stay clear of such criminal hideouts and partner with its operatives in ridding the region of criminals.
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