THE Joint Task Force, JTF, which on Friday, overran Camp 5, a den of militants in Delta State has seized a large cache of arms and ammunition from the militants. It also rescued 10 of the hostages kidnapped by them.

Seized were anti-aircraft guns, dynamites and speed boats, although the militants succeeded in blowing up the Warri-Escravos Crude Oil pipeline operated by Chevron and the Abiteye Gas Pipeline both in the state.

Spokesman for the JTF, Colonel Rabe Abubakar who confirmed the bombing of the Abiteye gas pipeline and take over of the militants' armoury said overrunning the camp was not easy, as about 100 of his men were injured, some seriously. He said the soldiers were not on a reprisal attack but strictly on a rescue and search operation when they were attacked by the militants and they had to defend themselves.

Abubakar said the soldiers who were better armed overwhelmed the militants who, in retreating to their base led the JTF to the camp, which the troops raided and seized.

He said the six Filipinos, that were rescued were seriously injured on account of the torture they received in the hands of the militants and were being treated.

The JTF spokesman also said the militants stole the content of the MV Spirit, an ocean going vessel with 15 crew members, which they hijacked, last Wednesday.

He, however, said that two vessels that were seized had been recovered by the task force and also debunked the claim by the Movement for Emancipation of the Niger Delta that it captured and destroyed a Nigerian Navy warship.

The pipeline transports crude produced by Chevron-Texaco to the Warri Refinery and Petrchemical Company (WRPC). It is also used to channel imported heavy crude to the Kaduna Refinery. It was damaged by militants some years ago and its repairs gulped a huge sum of money.

Sunday Vanguard gathered yesterday that wanted Rivers warlords, Ateke Tom and Dagogo Fara had been contacted to deploy weapons from their territories in their all-out war.

The death toll of 35, which was confirmed by some residents of the communities rose to 65 yesterday, as more corpses were picked up. A former regent of the Gbaramatu kingdom, Chief Alfred Bubor was among those shot during the JTF bombardment. He was said to have been rushed to the hospital for treatment. Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State met with stakeholders, including the JTF and Ijaw youth leaders for several hours yesterday in Warri to stop the killings and bombings.

The meeting, according to one source, was attended by the Deputy Governor, Professor Amos Utuamah, the Secretary to the State Government, State Director of the SSS, Senator James Manager, House of Representatives Member for Warri Federal Daniel Reyenieju, Mr. Solomon Funkekeme, former deputy governor of the state, Chief Benjamin Elue, Chief Tunde Smooth, Chairman Warri South West George Ekpomupolo as well as some commissioners. The meeting reviewed the present situation in the creeks and adopted a strategy to restore peace to the area. Part of the decisions arrived at is the need to prevail on the military authorities and the Presidency to stop further action in the creeks.

It was gathered that the meeting mandated some elders and youth leaders to prevail on the restive youths in the creeks to stop any aggressive action against military personnel and to desist from any further attack on oil facilities in the area. Sources also expressed confidence that with these measures in place peace would be restored to the creeks since available evidence does not indicate a premeditated action leading to the clashes; however, it is strongly believed that this was an incident that got out of control.

Sources also said recent clashes, though regrettable, would not distract the Delta State Government from pursuing its peace and security agenda, as it is just a hiccup in the peace process that would be overcome in the shortest possible time.

The chairman of the Delta Waterways Security Committee (DWSC), Mr. Timinimi George and other officials also met with the governor to brief him on trouble-shooting mission. The committee in a statement, yesterday, called for cease fire from all the parties in the dispute.

Meanwhile, the aerial bombardment by the JTF on the communities, which started on Friday, has been suspended. Camp 5, the strongest militant den in the state was captured after the assault. At press time, JTF troops were occupying the camp and it was learnt the task force was likely to acquire it and use it as an operational base.

Sources who confirmed the blowing up of the Warri-Escravos pipeline said the flare in the Terminal was put off some hours later, although militants were said to have also planted dynamites around Chevron lines at Abiteye. The militant group has also ordered the blockage of all vessels moving through the Port Harcourt Channel, Onne, Eket and Bonny.

It was gathered that the militants were specially targeting JTF locations, but, JTF troops were said to be on red alert across the region. The JTF announced yesterday that it had rescued six Filipinos and four Nigerians in its offensive against militants. They were held hostage by militants in their Camp Five in Delta State.

The JTF also said it had recaptured the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) chartered tanker, MV SPIRIT and the cargo ship hijacked by militants at the Chanomi Creek, last Wednesday, and that its troops had routed and captured the Camp 5 militant camp.

Militants from the Camp had ambushed JTF troops along the Chanomi Creek, last Wednesday and allegedly killed a Lieutenant and six other soldiers when their gunboat capsized as they were trying to retreat. Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Centre, Col Rabe Abubakar said, "The whole area around the Camp 5 is under our JTF control.

Everywhere is under control. The camp has been obliterated. Also, we have secured the NNPC chartered tanker, MV SPIRIT and the cargo ship hijacked by the militants. And the ship and vessel are intact. The militants now have got what they have been wishing for, a confrontation from JTF. And they are on the run."

The NNPC chartered tanker was to deliver condensate but was hijacked by militants on Wednesday and diverted to Warri Port. The cargo Ship, also hijacked by the same militants from Camp 5 at Chanomi Creek, was also sailing to Warri. The JTF, in announcing the offensive, said it was conducting a "Cordon and Search" operations, aimed at liberating the people of the Niger Delta from further intimidation, harassment and extortion.

It accused the militants of using freedom fighting to perpetrate criminalities in the region.Col Abubakar had earlier alerted that in the search for the militants, "there could be serious gun battle which may cause the militants to flee to their main camps. And this may lead to our torching such camps." And this the JTF did. The JTF had also announced movement of its troops within the operational areas asking the citizens not to panic as the movement of the troops are routine.

Tompolo not dead: A top aide of the leader of Camp Five, popularly known as Tompolo, who was reported to have been killed, however, told Sunday Vanguard, "Nothing happened to him, he is alive". He also said all the 15 hostages were Filipinos, but the JTF said it rescued six Filipinos and four Nigerians. His words, "All the 15 hostages were Filipinos. Two died and three were seriously injured during yesterday's (Friday) aerial attack on camp 5.

"The whereabouts of the rest is unknown, as all our fighters were running for safety. The military may know their whereabouts, as they currently occupy camp 5", he added. Some community leaders from Gbaramatu who managed to escape alive from Friday's bombardment of some Ijaw communities by the JTF said the number of casualties were high as they were many people who came from far and near to Oporoza for the Amaseikumor festival.

Chief Akowei Oboko from Kunukunuma community told Sunday Vanguard that scores of persons were killed by the JTF, which stormed the town on Friday with jet and helicopter bombers, bombing everywhere. We don't know what we have done to warrant this attack by the JTF, is the Federal Government at war with us", he queried.

Chief Godspower Gbenekama from Benikurukuru community who was at Oporoza for the aborted Amaseikumo festival was among the lucky persons that escaped alive from the community, Friday, told Sunday Vanguard, "The Ameseikumo festival in Oporoza has been halted and so many people were killed when the JTF struck with helicopter, gunboats, jet bombers and warships.

Twenty five corpses have been picked up in Oporoza as at the time I fled the community, one of those injured is a traditional chief. Over 20 persons are missing and I don't know the reason for this genocide. I tell you, what the JTF came to do was to wipe out the community. How can they use such weapons on innocent and defenceless citizens. As I speak to you now, nobody in that village can sleep in his house, all of them have run and fled into the bush, it is the ones who could not run that they bombed and killed. A lot of buildings were destroyed and the youths are angry, the government should call the JTF to order.

Chief Godspower Viavrivinde also told Sunday Vanguard that 10 persons, including men, women and children were killed in Kurutie community. He fled the community through Sapele and got to Warri last Friday afternoon. Chief Oyagha Heaven said fighting was on between Okerenkoko youths and the JTF when he fled on Friday. His words, "The JTF troops were advancing towards Okerenkoko, which we hear they want to attack because of the false claim that it is the traditional headquarters of militants in the kingdom.

The youths confronted them five nautical miles away from the community. But right now, the people have fled the community, they have all run into the forest and I don't expect otherwise when they saw helicopter and jet bombers throwing bombs in the neighbouring Kurutie and Kunukunuma. We hear that Okerenkoko is next in their plan to attack and that they are even planning to trail Gbaramatu leaders staying in Warri and arrest them, this will be a dangerous development", he warned.

Clark blasts Minister of Defence, SFG: An angry Ijaw National Leader, Chief Edwin Clark whose appeal to the Minister of Defence and other top federal government officials to halt the invasion by the JTF was rebuffed berated them yesterday for the genocide meted on Ijaw people. In a text message sent to the Minister, Secretary to the Federal Government and the Commander of the JTF, Major General Sarkin Bello, Chief Clark said, "Good morning, your directives to JTF to bomb, kill and destroy the Ijaws for the past three consecutive days despite my appeal is no doubt a preconceived deliberate decision of the Federal Government to eliminate the Ijaws in order to have undisturbed, free access to our oil and gas. Carry on but you will never succeed. We shall overcome because the Almighty God is on our side", he said.

The traditional ruler of Gbaramatu kingdom, Godwin Bebenimibo has also asked all his subjects to keep calm, as he was doing his possible best to restore normalcy to the kingdom. He, however, called on President Yar'Adua to call the JTF TO order, as Gbaramatu remained part and parcel of Nigeria and what is happening is like a country fighting its people that it supposed to protect from external aggression.

TROMPCON in a statement, signed by its national chairman, Eze Young Nwokoru Ogbonna, Eze Isiala II of Owaza/Umudobia ancient kingdom and the national secretary, Pere Stanley P Luke-Kalama VIII, Pere of Akugbene-Mein, said, "The royal fathers are deeply worried about the prevailing situation in Gbaramatu kingdom of Delta State, the Association of Traditional Rulers of Oil Mineral Producing Communities of Nigeria (ATROMPCON) has called for immediate cease fire. We urge all parties involved in the skirmish to sheath their swords and give peace a chance", the statement added.