Security agents are now on the trail of members
of the defunct Niger Delta Liberation Front (NDLF)
founded by the late ex-militant leader, John Togo
in connection with series of bombings of gas and
crude oil pipelines in parts of Delta and Bayelsa
States.
THISDAY learnt that the operatives of the Joint
Task Force (JTF) and the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS
Delta) have linked members of the defunct group
to the renewed crisis in the region.
A highly placed security officer said the militants
that carried out last Thursday’s bombings of the
crude oil pipeline belonging to Nigerian Petroleum
Development Company (NPDC) have been linked
to the late Togo.
“The boys that breached crude oil pipeline last
Thursday were late John Togo boys. They were
sighted at the scene of the blast by soldiers who
were on their trail before they fled into the creeks
with their high speed boats. At least, they
recognised some of them to be John Togo boys,”
he said.
The Niger Delta Liberation Front (NDLF), founded
by John Togo, was a militant group that had
affiliation with the defunct Movement for the
Emancipation of the Niger Delta led by Chief
Government Ekpemupolo alias “Tompolo.”
The group had then claimed that their main goal
was to secede and gain independence from
Nigeria.
Although, Togo was the NDLF’s most notorious
member, he was killed on July 19, 2011 by a
Nigerian air strike near Warri in Delta State.
During his reign, Togo was notorious on the
waterways in both Bayelsa and Delta States
robbing and maiming his victims at will.
Security sources told THISDAY that the foot
soldiers left by the late Togo are now being
suspected to be behind the series of bombings of
oil pipelines in the two oil rich states and
promised that the long arm of the law will soon
catch them.
He said the discovery by security agencies was
the reason for a lull in the activities of the Niger
Delta Avengers in the past few days, adding “we
are closing in on them.”
Commander Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS Delta)
Warri, Commodore Raimi Mohammed, refused to
pick calls or respond a text message seeking
confirmation of the development.
The Nigerian Navy in Warri, penultimate
Thursday, arrested a commander of the Niger
Delta Avengers and some of his foot soldiers and
transferred them to Abuja for further questioning.
Meanwhile, former Chairman of Benikrukru
Community in Warri South West Local
Government Area of Delta State, Chief Jeffery
Ojogun, has condemned the renewed hostilities in
the Niger Delta Region.
He, however, appealed to President Muhammadu
Buhari not to scrap the Nigerian Maritime
University, Okerenkoko.
Ojogun who is the Amadiwei of Benikrukru
Community in a press release issued in Warri,
described attacks on oil facilities in the region as
unfortunate.
The Gbaramatu chief also condemned the
invasion of Gbaramatu communities by troops of
the JTF.
According to him, dialogue should be adopted in
resolving the renewed hostilities in the oil-rich
Niger Delta Region and commended President
Buhari for ordering a two-week ceasefire in the
troubled region.
Ojogun advised militants causing unrest in Niger
Delta Region to take advantage of the two weeks
ceasefire ordered by the President and take their
grievances to the negotiating table.
While urging all and sundry to create a conducive
atmosphere for the Ojogun stated that the people
of the Kingdom cannot afford another military
invasion, saying the memories of the May 2009
invasion were still fresh in the minds of the
people.
“I am pained by the recent happening in the
Niger Delta Region. The people of the region are
responsible and peace-loving and this is why I am
appealing that those breaching the peace in the
region should allow peace to reign.
“I am worried about the lives and property being
wasted and the destruction of our communities
as a result of the Niger Delta crisis that is doing
nobody any good. Peace is the answer,” he
added.
Ojogun expressed the belief that the crisis will
soon be over and urged his kinsmen and women
to desist from anything that will cause more
havoc to them and their communities.
“I am a promoter of peace. We in the Niger Delta
Region are one people; we are one big family. We
must not allow our enemies to divide us. We must
remain united. Let us not betray one another.
This is another trying moment for the people of
the region and when we are united, we must
surely overcome the current challenges.
“The people of Gbaramatu Kingdom are not
members of the Niger Delta Avengers and the
Kingdom is not a haven for the Avengers, we
need peace in the Kingdom. We should not be
used to tear our Kingdom into pieces and those
working for our enemies to ensure that our people
are divided and invaded again should have a
rethink,” he posited.
Ojogun urged those attacking oil installations to
put a stop to their activities and embrace
dialogue with the federal government.
“They should allow the oil companies to
commence the repairs of the damaged pipelines
because the nation is losing so much daily as a
result of the activities of the Niger Delta Avengers,
we should not allow these attacks to go on,” he
said. Ojogun while expressing gratitude to
President Buhari for the ceasefire he ordered in
the Niger Delta Region, implored the President to
address the vexed issues in the region, saying
only development would bring the required
peace.
He specifically appealed to the President not to
scrap the Nigerian Maritime University,
Okerenkoko, approved by the administration of
former President. Goodluck Jonathan.
According to him, “The university will attract
development to the entire Niger Delta Region and
engage restive youths in the region and so it my
humble appeal to the president not to do away
with the university. This is the only university
approved by the last administration for the oil-rich
Niger Delta Region out of the eight universities
approved by the government of former President
Jonathan. Those approved for non-oil producing
states are intact and here we are, government is
planning to scrap the only one approved for a
region as important as the oil-rich Niger Delta
Region. The Nigerian Maritime University,
Okerenkoko is the only federal government
presence in the area and therefore, the President
should allow it to kick off, it should not be
scrapped

papayeye:
Ehen, so Una no dey pursue Tompolo again. When Oga Tompolo dey tell una say Ein no dey 4 all Dz scatter scatter ba ba business, una no gree throw am una ear, now una wan dey form Inspector Bediko. Abeg make una commot una car 4 road jor. Una just B like Oga number 1, sense una no get, power, dat 1 na zero, patieence, na like Ororo 4 una side. If una no find una level before day break, na cutlass una go sharpen till night reach.

ki02020:


Oga pls go back and read the post well you will see a part of the article that shows th togo group has a link with the defunct MEND founded by tomppolo, So you can't say tompolo should be totally excluded from this whole drama

papayeye:
Ehen, so Una no dey pursue Tompolo again. When Oga Tompolo dey tell una say Ein no dey 4 all Dz scatter scatter ba ba business, una no gree throw am una ear, now una wan dey form Inspector Bediko. Abeg make una commot una car 4 road jor. Una just B like Oga number 1, sense una no get, power, dat 1 na zero, patieence, na like Ororo 4 una side. If una no find una level before day break, na cutlass una go sharpen till night reach.

IRserveMyComent:
Go and catch him na since he has links with them.

mrvitalis:
When I said it here that this bombing is tompolo's hand work people never believed me

U may see pipeline pass through ur house and all that but to know the supply pipeline to major places u need the network plan which Jonathan gave to tompolo (what was he even thinking)

For those that's believe Nigerian army have no amphibian training... . No shout ICC AND armesty international after this two weeks

NigerDeltan:


So there were no bombings before Jonathan gave him that contract?

papayeye:

www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/06/13/avengers-security-agents-trail-togos-boys/

eleko1:
WhY are they telling us ? Kill all those lunatics disturbing the Peace of Niger delta.They should look out for Asari Boys too.

amakenny:
Instead of chase for militants, restructure Nigeria politically and waatch the militants go home voluntarily; not this rigged political structure and increased absolute power of the central govt created by only Arewa soldiers.

Niger delta militants VS Creation of Arewa soldiers .... Phase two: when does it end? Where does it lead Nigeria to?

mrvitalis:
When I said it here that this bombing is tompolo's hand work people never believed me

U may see pipeline pass through ur house and all that but to know the supply pipeline to major places u need the network plan which Jonathan gave to tompolo (what was he even thinking)

For those that's believe Nigerian army have no amphibian training... . No shout ICC AND armesty international after this two weeks

amakenny:
Instead of chase for militants, restructure Nigeria politically and watch the militants go home voluntarily;

no to this rigged political structure and increased absolute power of the central govt created by only Arewa soldiers.

Niger delta militants VS Creation of Arewa soldiers .... Phase two: when does it end? Where does it lead Nigeria to?

papayeye:
Ehen, so Una no dey pursue Tompolo again. When Oga Tompolo dey tell una say Ein no dey 4 all Dz scatter scatter ba ba business, una no gree throw am una ear, now una wan dey form Inspector Bediko. Abeg make una commot una car 4 road jor. Una just B like Oga number 1, sense una no get, power, dat 1 na zero, patieence, na like Ororo 4 una side. If una no find una level before day break, na cutlass una go sharpen till night reach.

papayeye:

www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2016/06/13/avengers-security-agents-trail-togos-boys/

IRserveMyComent:
Go and catch him na since he has links with them.

skillet:
The millitary is as clueless as ...

skillet:
The millitary is as clueless as ...