Niger delta militancy; Military scraps JTF, replaces outfit with ODS

The Defence Headquarters has scrapped the Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Pulo Shield (OPS) in the Niger Delta region.

The outfit according to a statement signed by the acting Director, Defence Information, Brig-Gen. Rabe Abubakar, has been replaced with Operation Delta Safe (ODS).

This is the second time the outfit domiciled in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, will undergo reforms and change of name.

The force which was formed before the Federal Government granted amnesty to ex-militants in the region was then known as Operation Restore Hope (ORS).

But following the amnesty programme, it was reorganized with a new mandate to protect oil installations under a codename, Operation Pulo (oil) Shield (OPS). 

With the renew militancy and economic terrorism in the region by various militant groups led by the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), it was learnt that the Defence Headquarters reformed, refocused and renamed the outfit ODS.

The statement by Abubakar said: “The OPERATION PULO SHIELD in Niger Delta has been scrapped with immediate effect and replaced with OPERATION DELTA SAFE.

“This is in line with the Defence Headquarters initiative to restructure the Joint Task Force for better service delivery, efficiency and effectiveness in line with the vision and mission of the Chief of Defence Staff to contain the current security challenges in the Niger Delta especially protection of critical national assets and provision of security in the area.

“Under this arrangement, the Joint Operational Areas of the new outfit have been delineated into 3 sectors and 5 Operational Bases covering the entire Niger Delta, Ondo and Akwa Ibom States.  The Headquarters of OPERATION DELTA SAFE would be in Yenagoa.

“This development, according to Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin becomes expedient in order to inject new tactics and robust operational initiative to tackle the emerging security challenges in the Niger Delta region such as piracy, bunkering, vandalism and other criminalities prevalent in the area”.

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