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Yenagoa — Men of the Nigerian Army on Thursday invaded the camp of Woki Godswill Ibralayu alias Kitikata who last week attacked the multi-billion dollar Brass Oil Terminal belonging to Italian oil giant, Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC).
Six militants were reportedly killed during the invasion, but KItikata himself escaped with gun wounds.
Joint Task Force (JTF) invaded the Ewoama community base of the ruthless killer who murdered three soldiers along the Nembe Creek in July last year.
Kitikata and his men were caught off guard as the soldiers over-ran their camp. Kitikata however escaped through a hitherto unknown little creek located behind the camp with gunshot wounds as a trail of blood was found leading to the waterside.
The invasion of the notorious militant’s camp was coming on the heels of the attack on an helicopter working for Agip and the attack on the Brass terminal, operations believed to have been masterminded by Kitikata .
Coordinator of the Joint Media Campaign Center (JMCC) of the JTF, Col. Rabe Abubakar confirmed the invasion in a statement yesterday in Yenagoa. According to him, “The militants from the camp, controlled and operated by one Mr. Woki Godswill Ibralayu a.k.a Kitikata, were responsible for the killing of 3 soldiers at Nembe, last year.
“Also, the frequent armed robbery operations along Port Harcourt – Yenagoa axis, recently, were perpetrated by Woki and his men.”
More so, incessant attacks on JTF locations and oil companies in recent times were all the handiworks of Kitikata and his blind loyalists.
Consequently, the JTF carried out a cordon and search operations in Daroama General Area close to militant camp in the early hours of 26 February, 2009. This operation was met with unwarranted shooting at the JTF troops who were there only to look for illegal arms and ammunition an apprehend criminals. So, according to the JTF’s internal security mandate, which permits self-defense, the force defended itself accordingly, “but, as we are writing to you, a very significant part of Daroama Militant Camp has been destroyed, severe casualties were suffered by them and some quantities of arms, ammunition and charms were recovered”.
“The JTF is reassuring all law-abiding citizens, oil workers, both local and foreign expatriate friends, to go about their normal businesses without fear of molestation, as we are ready, more than ever before, to protect all. Enough is enough!” Colonel Rabe Abubakar, Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Centre (JMCC) has said.
He also maintained that the JTF would continue to carry out its duties within its operational guidelines without compromising security. He added, “we shall see to the end of this crisis in no distant future”, and asked the general public to support the JTF in its urge to realize a permanent peace in the Niger-Delta. “This exercise is on-going”, Abubakar stated.
Abubakar could however not say anything on the whereabouts of ‘Kitikata’ the dreaded militant leader who has been terrorizes the creeks and waterways of the area, just as arms and ammunition were recovered during the invasion of the militant camp.
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