Apparently on vengeance mission to avenge the death of their colleagues in last weekend invasion of Okochiri, a tiny island in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State, gunmen suspected to be members of Niger Delta Vigilante group, yesterday killed a soldier attached to the Joint Task Force, Operation Restore Hope.
However, Leader of the group, Mr Ateke Tom,managed to escape into the surrounding mangrove forest, while no fewer than five members of his group were killed.
The Joint Task Force, headed by Brigadier- General Elias Zamani, took 10 others into custody.
Since last weekend invasion, security operatives have taken over Okrika, with residents deserting their homes for fear of being caught in the cross-fire.
In a telephone chat with THISDAY last night, Army Public Relations Officer of Second Amphibious Brigade, Bori Camp, Port Harcourt, Major Musa Sagir, confirmed the killing, adding that the person who was killed was not a solider but one of the wanted militants who wore military uniform.
Sagir�s claims were however disputed by some fleeing residents of Okrika, who told THISDAY yesterday that some suspected loyalists of the vigilante group leader shot and killed a solider attached to the Task Force.
Explaining the rationale for the deployment of more troops to the area, Sagir said they were still searching for Tom who had been declared wanted in connection with bank robberies in Port Harcourt.
Items recovered during the raid on Okochiri Island, said to be the stronghold of Tom, included one AK47, one pump action gun, one pistol, one double barrelled gun, six single barrelled guns, 1,034 rounds of 9mm live ammunition, 67 rounds of NATO ammunition, 97 rounds of 7.70mm special ammunition and one MC-SMG magazine.
Jun12006