Troops of the 63 Brigade, Nigerian Army/Sector 1, Joint Task Force, South South codenamed Operation Delta Safe, have neutralised a leader of a cultist group in Delta State.
Another member, identified as Stephen Fragene Pessu, was also arrested at the Pessu community in Warri South local government area of the state.
A statement signed by the Acting Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, 63 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Captain Iliyasu Bawa-Rijau, revealed that the group was armed with lethal weapons, used during recent clashes.
Bawa-Rijau said the arrested notorious suspect confessed to be a member of a dreaded gang terrorising the area and its environs and have provided credible information on their activities.
The statement added that the gang was implicated in several kidnapping for ransom cases, with evidence of payments made to secure the release of their victims.
Captain Bawa-Rijau disclosed that “further investigation revealed that the group is armed with lethal weapons, used during recent clashes.”
He further stated, “The troops conducted a follow-up operation, which resulted in a firefight, during which the neutralised suspect, simply identified as Mr Dele, was shot dead, and a pump-action gun was recovered from the scene.”
The Army spokesman said that the operation was ongoing, with troops combing the general area, to arrest other members of the gang.
Additionally, he stressed that efforts were being intensified to recover the weapons in their possession.
Meanwhile, the Commander, 63 Brigade/Sector 1, JTF SS OPDS, Brigadier MA Shonibare, while commending the troops for their resilience, has charged them to further clamp down on all criminal elements in the area.
Shonibare also reassured the people of Delta State and environs that the Brigade would continue to effectively prioritise the safety of lives and property.
He called on the citizenry to go about their social and economic activities, assuring that adequate measures have been put in place for their safety and security.
