The Nigerian troops under the 63 Brigade/Sector 1, Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe, have burst a criminal gang and recovered a cache of arms and ammunition in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State.
The operation, carried out around Ibusa following credible intelligence, led to the arrest of two suspected criminals, believed to be members of a notorious cult group.
During the operation, troops recovered two pump-action rifles from the suspects, while an additional three pump-action rifles were recovered from individuals posing as local vigilantes.
In a follow-up operation, troops combed the Umuisiagba area, leading to the recovery of eight more pump-action rifles and the arrest of 13 suspects, including a native doctor allegedly linked to the criminal network.
The suspects and recovered weapons have been handed over to relevant authorities for further investigation.
Commending the troops for their vigilance, the Commander of 63 Brigade, Brigadier General M.A. Shonibare, charged them to sustain the clampdown on criminal networks.
He reassured residents of Delta State and its environs of the military’s commitment to prioritising the safety of lives and property.
The twin operations underscore the military’s ongoing efforts to degrade terrorist and criminal networks across Nigeria through intelligence-driven operations and community collaboration.
Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.
Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.
He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.
Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).
He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.
He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.
Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled: Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.
