Soldier, Civillian confirmed dead in Benue attack – Joint Task Force

Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta codenamed Operation Delta Safe reacted to the Monday night attack on its operatives by suspected militants near Letugbene community in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

JTF disclosed that it lost a soldier and a civilian staff attached to a military houseboat.

Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Centre of the task force, Major Ibrahim Abdulahi made this known in a statement issued Friday in Yenagoa.

The coordinator  also debunked claims of revenge attacks by troops on innocent indigenes of Letugbene and surrounding communities.

The statement reads, “This is to put to rest exaggerated speculations on an incident involving our own troops and suspected militants on Monday 28th August, 2017 around 2000hrs (8 pm) near Letugbene community in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

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“During the firefight, one gallant soldier and a civilian staff attached to the military houseboat paid the supreme price for defending fatherland as against reports of four (4) soldiers killed.

“A rescue team supported by gunboats was immediately dispatched to the area and they were able to locate and support two other soldiers who engaged the militants. “The current operations in the creeks and rivulets around the general area are surgical operations designed to fish out the perpetrators of that dastardly act some of whom fled into neighbouring communities.

“The job of the JTF remains to keep the peace on the waterways, creeks and the Niger Delta in general. Operation Delta Safe and indeed the Nigerian Military does not carry out reprisal attacks on innocent citizens as alleged in some quarters. “Members of the public especially those resident in areas where operations are being conducted are hereby advised to go about their normal lawful duties at this time of Sallah break and celebration.”