HOW SENIOR MILITARY OFFICERS AND JTF OFFICERS ESCAPED DEATH IN CROSS RIVER STATE

The Commander , Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Delta Safe (ODS), Rear Admiral Suleiman Apochi, and other top military officers have escaped drowning in the rivers of Ikang, Akpabuyo Local Government Area, Cross River State.

Apochi and other sector commanders of ODS cheated death when they fell into the Ikang River according to a statement signed by the Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Centre (JMCC), Maj. Ibrahim Abdullahi.

But some of them were said to have sustained minor injuries and were given medical treatment.

The statement named others who fell into the river as the Commander, Nigerian Naval Ship (NNS) Victory, Commodore Sali Jubrin, ODS sector commanders, Commander Sector 4 and other senior officers and soldiers.

It was gathered that the officers found themselves in the river when the Ikang jetty collapsed at about 10am on Tuesday.

They were said to be on tour of the area as part of Operation Safety Check (3), designed to assess troops' deployment and activities at various locations across the Niger Delta region.

The statement said: "The Commander OPDS, Rear Admiral Apochi Suleiman, Commander Nigerian Naval Ship (NNS) Victory, Operation Delta Safe Component Commanders, Commander Sector 4 along with other Senior Officers and soldiers, all fell into Ikang River as a result of the complete collapse of the Jetty at Ikang at about 10:00am.

"However, as a result of the survival capability of the Officers and Men, all personnel, weapons and other equipment were recovered with slight injuries to some personnel which have been treated.

"The team has retired back to Calabar to re-strategise and go ahead with the planned patrol and inspection".