The State Security
Service in Rivers State yesterday announced that it arrested seven men
suspected to be militants and kidnappers. The Rivers state director of
the service, Douglas Dogo, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Port
Harcourt on Wednesday that the men were arrested at different locations
in the state on January 21 following a tip-off. According to him, five
of the suspects kidnapped four persons in Ahoada West Local Government
Area in November. He said the victims paid millions of naira to the
kidnappers before they were freed.
Mr. Dogo said two
of the militants were “recalcitrant militant leaders”, adding that the
five men robbed a bank in Ikot Abasi, in Akwa Ibom state. According to
him, a preliminary investigation revealed that one of the two had
established new militant camps and recruited militants from the former
supporters of two ex-militant leaders in area.
He said that the
men established a camp at Kula, a coastal community in Degema Local
Government Area, where they terrorised oil companies and the people of
Kula through the sea.
“Several innocent
lives have been lost as a result of clashes among the militant
elements,” Mr. Dogo said. “They also engage in sea piracy particularly
of fishing trawlers and oil tankers and robbery of boat operators.”
He confirmed that efforts were underway to “mop up arms stockpiled
by these militants while the suspects will be charged to court”.
