Woki Godswill Ibaralanyou, alias Kitikata, one of the strong militants in the Niger Delta was yesterday killed in a bloody shootout with security operatives in Obioku, Nembe area of Bayelsa state.
Kitikata was alleged to be one of those who shot dead some five soldiers who were on mufti and were returning to Yenagoa on off duty from Nembe in July 2008.
Unlike other militants in the state, the 30 year old Kitikata, like most militants was uneducated but his leadership qualities were derived from his activities in the region.
Although it could not be confirmed if the killer was waylaid and killed by security operatives on his way to the Nembe militant arms surrendering centre for his atrocities in the past for killing several soldiers and police men, THISDAY gathered that he was expected to show up at the arms collection centre of the Presidential Amnesty Implementation Committee.
He was said to have died of injuries sustained in the shoot out at his Obioku Community camp.
The death of Kitikata was greeted with shouts of joy in Nembe where his activities are well known.
The man was so daring that only in May just before the invasion of Gbaramatu area in Delta state, he was said to have piloted a barge to his Okpoama, Brass Island community to cart away Governor Timipre Sylva’s RV trailer home vehicle until he was paid N5million by the local government council before releasing the vehicle. Sylva is also from the community.
Meanwhile, his boys and allies are said to be in mourning mood just as they have vowed that they would not show up at the designated arms collection point at Nembe as the military action was a breach of the assurances giving for surrendering arms.
Until his death, Kitikata operated the major militant camp along the Nembe-Brass axis on the fringe of the Atlantic Ocean, Bayelsa East Senatorial District.
He was a comrade in arms with another notorious militant, Fara Dagogo with whom he had made daring exploits targeting and killing soldiers and naval ratings attached to the JTF as well as sabotaged oil facilities belonging to multinational oil companies operating in the area and sinking military boats.
Kitikata had in April, 2009 sustained injuries while on a killer mission against some men of the JTF who were keeping guard over a house boat belonging to Daewoo Nigeria Limited working for Agip at Igbomotoru, Southern Ijaw local government area.
Between 2008 and 2009, Kitikata’s camp was involved in several bloody skirmishes with the JTF in Nembe and Southern Ijaw creeks of Bayelsa State .
Police Public Relations Officer, Ibokette Iniobong confirmed the death of Kitikata but added that details of his death were still sketchy.
Several calls to the JTF spokesman, Col. Rabe Abuabakar, were not answered. Meanwhile, no repentant militant has reported at any of the arms collection centres of the Presidential Amnesty Implementation Committee in Bayelsa State as the programmed entered its forth day.
Aug102009