The Nigerian military took to the skies on Thursday in its quest to tackle the rising cases of militancy in parts of Lagos and Ogun states, launching air strikes on their suspected hideouts in creeks located in the two states.
Scores are believed to have been killed in the aerial bombardment which took place on Thursday morning.
Residences of Arepo told New Telegraph that they heard the sounds of helicopters flying overhead and then the explosion of bombs when the militants’ camps were struck. The camps are located on an island behind Arepo in a river which is said flows all the way to Delta State.
Informed sources explained that the aerial bombardment might last till Sunday.
Several residents of the areas close to the creeks, including some journalists living at the Journalists Estate in Arepo, and many landlords living in Ibafo both in Ogun State, have fled their homes having been frequently robbed.
Incidentally, military operatives were deployed to Arepo last year as the government of Muhammadu Buhari vowed to curtail the activities of pipeline vandals, who frequently case fire outbreaks when they siphon fuel from the NNPC pipelines carrying the product from Atlas Cove in Lagos to other parts of the country.
However, it was learnt that before the operation commenced, the leaders of the affected communities had been properly briefed by the military hierarchy.
Source: New Telegraph
