Army kills 5 militants, arrests 23 others in Rivers

The Nigerian Army Saturday, said its troops have killed five militants in the Niger Delta while others were wounded.

According to a statement by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Col. SK Usman, 23 others were arrested with arms and ammunitions recovered from them by the troops of the Special Forces Battalion in their camp in Rivers State.

Usman further disclosed that the killing of the militants came in an operation which was a prelude to ‘Exercise Crocodile Smile’ in the Niger Delta, adding that the Operation is designed to flush out criminal elements in the Niger Delta region.

The Statement reads in part: “The 133 Special Forces Battalion of the Nigerian Army have carried out a precursor operation to Exercise CROCODILE SMILE aimed at getting rid of all forms of criminal activities in the Niger Delta geo-political region of Nigeria.

“In the course of the operation, five militants that attacked the troops were killed in action, while numerous others were injured and 23 suspects were arrested.

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“The operations which was conducted yesterday 26th August 2016, was carried out by the Special Forces at the militants camps.

“Items recovered from the camps include two AK-47 rifles, 11 Pump Action guns, a locally made revolver pistol, 292 cartridges of live Ammunition, 199 rounds of AK-47 rifle Ammunition, four electricity generating sets and a camp gas cooker.

“The troops also recovered an abandoned engine boat left by the fleeing criminals.”

By Timothy Enietan-Matthews

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