Security forces comb Rivers forest, dismiss herdsmen camp claims

Joint security forces in Rivers State have conducted a significant operation in a forest straddling the Ikwerre and Etche Local Government Areas, aiming to quell rumors of a suspected herdsmen settlement. The operation, involving the Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and local vigilante groups, sought to verify intelligence on criminal activities and alleged fortified bases.

“

Today we moved into the Ipo community, where there has been misinformation about herdsmen residing in the forest having solar panels, boreholes, and settled there in their numbers.

Commissioner of Police Olugbenga Adepoju explicitly dismissed reports of armed herdsmen residing in the forest, stating that a thorough inspection revealed no such settlement. This assertion comes after an earlier raid in April, which dislodged criminal elements and led to the recovery of weapons, including an AK-47 rifle. The security forces maintain that the area is now secure through sustained patrols and bush-combining exercises.

“

Today we went there, nothing of such was found. The forest is devoid of any criminality.

Despite securing the forest, efforts are ongoing to rescue Collins Ohahurun, the leader of the local vigilante group OSPAC, who was allegedly abducted by suspected herdsmen in April. Adepoju also issued a caution to local vigilante groups against unlawful detention of suspects, emphasizing the importance of handing over arrested individuals to the police. The emphasis on intelligence-sharing from communities with security agencies underscores a collaborative approach to tackling insecurity in the region.

“

We are still on the lookout to rescue the abducted OSPAC personnel; our men have dominated the area.