The Defence Headquarters said its Troops of Operation DELTA SAFE, while conducting offensive operations, arrested a notorious cult leader identified as Prince Johnson Ishirim, otherwise known as Commander Junior and 13 other suspected criminals/Kidnappers in Ahoada East LGA of Rivers State, as well as Oshimiri, Warri South and Ukwani LGAs of Delta State.
Major General Markus Kangye, Director, Defence Media Operations, disclosed this today at the bi-weekly media briefing at the Defence Headquarters in Abuja while giving an overview of the activities and the successes recorded by Joint Taskforce North East Operation HADIN KAI, Joint Taskforce North West Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Joint Taskforce North Central Operation SAFE HAVEN, Joint Taskforce North Central Operation WHIRL STROKE, Joint Taskforce South South Operation DELTA SAFE and Joint Taskforce South East Operation UDO KA.
Maj. Gen Kangye added that Troops also apprehended perpetrators of oil theft, rescued some kidnapped hostages, discovered and destroyed 19 illegal refining sites, apprehended 42 perpetrators of oil theft and rescued some kidnapped hostages and the Operation DELTA SAFE theatre, troops foiled oil theft worth over Two Hundred and Ninety-One Million, Three Hundred and Twenty-Six Thousand, Four Hundred Naira (N291,326,400.00) only.
He pointed out that troops of Operation DELTA SAFE raided a criminal’s hideout in the Southern Ijaw LGA of Bayelsa State and arrested 28 oil thieves and some drug dealers on 10 July 2025.
Maj Gen Kangye also revealed that Troops of Operation UDO KA eliminated 2 suspected IPOB/ESN members, arrested 14 of them and rescued 6 kidnapped victims in Aguata and Ihiala LGAs of Anambra State, as well as Isiala-Ngwa South, Arochukwu and Okigwe LGAs of Abia and Imo States.
Similarly, 2 kidnapped victims were rescued during an intelligence-led operation conducted in Udi LGA of Enugu State on 14 July 2025. In a related development on 10 July 2025, our troops arrested an IPOB/ESN terrorist’s collaborator who was commissioned by the terrorists to collect taxes from the locals on their behalf in Ihiala LGA, Anambra State. The troops recovered the sum of N1,500,000.00 from the suspect.
He noted that the Armed Forces of Nigeria, in collaboration with Hybrid Forces and other security agencies, continue to deploy advanced strategies to combat these threats and restore peace across affected communities.