No fewer than 13 persons were feared
dead in Wednesday’s bloody clash between the Joint Task Force (JTF) troops and
armed youths loyal to kidnap and robbery kingpin Kelvin Prosper Oniarah (aka
Ibruvwe) in Kokori, Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State.
Oniarah, who was arrested by
operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) and JTF in an undisclosed
hotel in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. Some of his victims were
Chief Mike Ozekhome and a former Anambra Deputy Governor, Dr. Chudi Nwike, who
was killed in captivity.
Troops deployed in Kokori to secure
the town shortly after his arrest on Wednesday came under intense gunfire,
leading to a shootout that lasted for over three hours before the youths were
overpowered.
Oniarah’s close associate identified
as Charles and a juju priest, Michael Omonigho, who is believed to be the
gang’s spiritual head, were arrested.
Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, who
addressed reporters yesterday in Warri, confirmed the arrest, saying one person
died in the clash. The Nation learnt that the governor relied on information
provided by security operatives and a body retrieved from the scene.
But independent investigation
revealed that the death toll was higher than one. The body recovered from
Kokori on Wednesday night has been taken to Effurun Barracks headquarters of
the Sector 1 Command of the JTF.
A reliable security source involved
in the operation, said: “The armed youths killed were at least 13; some of the
bodies were dragged from the scene and taken to an unknown location by their
colleagues.”
Our source, who craved anonymity, added
that at least 25 youths of the town escaped with gunshot wounds.
It was gathered that two of the
troops’ Hilux vans used for Wednesday’s operation were damaged by the hoodlums,
who attempted to set them on fire by shooting the fuel tanks repeatedly.
“Luckily for us, the tank was made
of plastic. They were able to destroy the tyres and we had to move the vehicle
out of the town with flat tyres before fixing it,” a JTF source, who was part
of the team, told our reporter.
Our reporter counted at least four
bullet holes on a van marked DT-Jul-019.
At least 15 vehicles of various
brands were smashed and burnt in the town; although it could not be ascertained
if the destruction was carried out by the soldiers or the rampaging youths.
As a follow up to Wednesday’s
incident, the 3 and 222 battalions of the Nigerian Army in Effurun-Warri and
Agbarha-Otor, yesterday began a military operation to rid Kokori and
neighbouring communities of remnants of Kelvin’s gang members.
Troops were also deployed to man the
Orhioke-Kokori crude oil well head and manifold in the area, apparently to
prevent the rampaging youths from making good their threat to set it on fire.
The operation was led by Lt.-Col
Ifeanyi Otu (3 Battalion) and Lt. Col VC Ibeh of 222 Battalion.
It began with an address by Lt.-Col.
Otu at about 9:35am, in front of the Isiokolo Police Divisional Headquarters
and a brief workout before the troops moved into Kokori.
Lt.-Col Otu laid out the rules of
engagement, warning the troops against indiscriminate use of firearms and
force.
He added: “Fire control, discipline
must be maintained at all times and you must remain focussed.”
At about 10:05am, 19 Toyota Hilux
vans and one Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC), conveying over 100 soldiers and
policemen, stormed the town.
The town was almost completely
deserted, except for a handful of aged women and children who were too weak to
flee.
Our reporter saw two crying
children: the eldest, who is about five-year-old, identified himself as Onini.
He said his parents fled on sighting the troops leaving him and his younger
sibling behind.
Our correspondent, who witnessed the
operation, reported that although Kokori was like a ghost town, remnants of
Kelvin’s gang remained and caused problems for the troops.
The gang mounted roadblocks on the
Market Road entrance to the town and dared the security operatives to cross
them and move towards their hideout at the end of the town.
They also barricaded entrances to
major streets with coffins and made sacrifices from dead animals and chicken,
ostensibly to deter the advancing troops.
A midsize truck, which apparently
conveyed drinks to the town, was seized and the bottles it was carrying broken
and scattered on the road to restrict movement.
The truck was also set ablaze and
its carcass used to block the road.
One of those remaining in the
community, Mr. Stephen Onokayime, told our reporter that he was not part of the
criminal operation.
He said he tried to dissuade the
youths, adding: “They refused to listen to me.”
Tags
Society