The Air Component of Operation Delta Safe has destroyed three Illegal Refining Sites-IRS, with a total number of seven overhead tanks concealed under thick mangrove vegetation.
About five kilometers downstream, four boats were also sighted moving southwards with suspected illegally refined products, and destroyed.
In a statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information of the NAF, Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet says while heading back, the crew spotted a speedboat with five suspected oil thieves fleeing the area.
It points out that upon sighting the aircraft, the criminals increased speed, hoping to evade the aircraft.
The aircraft then pursued the speedboat until they arrived at the blocking zone of ground troops, where they were arrested.
Similarly, following a tip-off of terrorists hibernating at Dandunu after rustling cattle from communities around the kuchi-kapana axis in Munya LGA of Niger State, air assets were deployed which led to the interception of terrorists on nine motorcycles leading the rustled cattle.
In several passes, the motorcycle-riding terrorists were struck by the aircraft, and most of them eliminated in the process.
According to the statement, the feedback from locals around the location have so far been positive, with most of them being able to recover the rustled cattle and returning to their livelihoods.
PR/Usman Sani.
