* ‘How mastermind of shooting of 22 worshippers was
hunted down’
FOR dreaded Igwedibia Johnson (aka “General” Don Waney), a life
of blood, blows and bullets has ended in a dramatic manner.
The 43-year-old described by the military as a notorious killer,
kidnapper, militant, cultist and illegal oil bunkerer had been on
the run since he allegedly masterminded the New Year’s Day killing
of 17 worshippers in Omoku, the headquarters of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni
Local Government Area of Rivers State.
He was shot dead on Saturday in Enugu, Enugu State, along with
two of his lieutenants— Ikechukwu Adiele and Lucky Ode— by soldiers
and operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).
The bodies of Johnson, Adiele and Ode were yesterday displayed
at the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, by the
division’s outgoing General Officer Commanding (GOC), Maj.-Gen.
Enobong Udoh, who was accompanied by Rivers State Director of DSS
Mr. Tosin Ajayi and Commissioner of Police Zaki Ahmed.
Three AK-47 rifles and eight magazines were allegedly recovered
from Johnson, Adiele and Ode.
Shortly after accepting Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike’s
amnesty offer, the ex-militant “General” was on December 20, 2016
conferred with the chieftaincy title of Oyirimba I of Ogbaland by
the paramount ruler of Aligwu community in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local
Government Area, King C. Nwokocha, in his palace, for laying down
his arms.
Johnson’s camp, mansion and shrines in the local government were
raided on November 20, last year by 6 Division troops, who
recovered 10 human skulls and various human bones, among other
items. Seven suspects, including two women, were arrested.
The GOC told reporters yesterday: “In the early hours of January
1, 2018, there was a mayhem in which 22 citizens of Omoku, Rivers
State were heartlessly murdered while returning from the ‘crossover
service’. After that, there was a presidential directive by Mr.
President (Muhammadu Buhari) that the heartless
killers/perpetrators of the mayhem must be hunted down and brought
to book.
“The directive was conveyed in a mandate by the Chief of Army
Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, to 6 Division, to collaborate with
the DSS, police and other security agencies in Rivers State to hunt
down and bring to book the perpetrators of the mayhem. We
collaborated and tracked down Don Waney and some of his gang
members to Enugu. They were initially hiding in Imo State. We
traced them to Enugu, where they rented an apartment. They lived
with other people in the neighborhood like normal people. From
there, they were already planning another mayhem in Omoku.
“We moved from here (Port Harcourt) and we collaborated with the
GOC, 82 Division in Enugu and we were able to raid his (Johnson’s)
hideout in Enugu. In the process, he was running away and our
troops set at them. These are the criminals.
“Don Waney, the leader of the criminal murderous gang, was the
masterminder of the January 1, 2018 massacre in Omoku, but the
operation was physically led by Ikechukwu Adiele, who is among the
three persons now killed. There is another person, whom I do not
want to mention, that led the operation with him (Adiele). We will
not rest, until we get all of them and bring them to book.”
The Deputy Director, Army Public Relations of 6 Division, Col.
Aminu Iliyasu, in a statement yesterday, prior to the display of
the bodies, titled: “End of the road for notorious cultist,
kidnapper and mass murderer, Don Waney”, stated that besides the
strange discoveries of November 20, 2017 in Johnson’s camp and
shrines, troops of 6 division, in continuation of the operation, on
November 21, 2017 also exhumed decomposing bodies of some of his
victims in his shrine.
Iliyasu said Johnson, from the relative safety of his
newly-rented apartment in Enugu, was perfecting plans to unleash
more mayhem in Omoku, in which he was to attack churches, schools,
army and police locations and the homes of the generality of the
already-traumatised people of Omoku.
The Deputy Director, Army Public Relations of 6 Division, said:
“Following his (Johnson’s) successful geo-location to his new Enugu
neighbourhood hideout by the DSS, Rivers State Command, a combined
team of troops of 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Enugu and personnel
of DSS, Rivers State Command, raided the hideout to arrest him and
his accomplices.
“Incidentally, on sensing that the combined team was closing in
on his residence, Don Waney, his Second-in-Command (Ikechukwu
Adiele) and another gang member (Lucky Ode) attempted to escape
through the back exit of the apartment and were shot down by the
eagle-eyed troops in the process. One of them died on the spot
while the other two, who sustained gunshot wounds, eventually died
while being evacuated for medical attention.
“The remains of Don Waney and his cohorts were brought back to
Port Harcourt, Rivers State by the combined team and handed over to
the Rivers State Police Command, for further action.”
Iliyasu stated that authorities of 6 Division extended their
condolences to the families of all the victims of the “evil Don
Waney and his gang,” while solicited further cooperation of the
public for information to arrest the remaining gang members to
bring them to justice, for a peaceful, prosperous and secure Omoku,
Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area, Rivers state and other
parts of Niger Delta region.
The Police Commissioner said: “It is a fallacy that security
agencies in Rivers State do not have the wherewithal to confront
and apprehend criminals in Rivers State. Security agencies in
Rivers State are collaborating. You can see the result of the
synergy. The perpetrators were tracked. In an exchange of gunfire,
they were gunned down.
“Security agencies are working hard to ensure that people live
in harmony, in peace and go about their lawful businesses without
any molestation. I can assure you that we will not rest, until when
we get all the criminals arrested and brought to book.
“I want everybody to know that crime does not pay. No matter
what, the long arm of the law will eventually catch up with the
criminals. Don Waney and members of his gang acted as if they were
above the law, but look at them now. Young people must desist from
joining violent gang of criminals because, at the end of the day,
the law will catch up with them and they will go.
“We are taking the battle to the hideouts of other criminals in
Rivers State and we will get them arrested. Businesses and other
economic activities in Omoku and its environs were crippled by Don
Waney and members of his gang, but we will continue to work hand in
hand with other security agencies to sanitise the areas, for
businesses to pick up immediately.
“We are aware that Don Waney had many gang members (over 1,500),
but we have their profiles. I can assure you that we are taking the
battle to their hideouts. We know where the gang leaders and other
criminals are. We are going to get them arrested and
prosecuted.”
Ahmed admonished residents to continue to cooperate and
collaborate with the security agencies by giving them information,
which he would be treated with utmost confidentiality.
* ‘How mastermind of shooting of 22 worshippers was
hunted down’
FOR dreaded Igwedibia Johnson (aka “General” Don Waney), a life
of blood, blows and bullets has ended in a dramatic
manner.
The 43-year-old described by the military as a notorious killer,
kidnapper, militant, cultist and illegal oil bunkerer had been on
the run since he allegedly masterminded the New Year’s Day killing
of 17 worshippers in Omoku, the headquarters of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni
Local Government Area of Rivers State.
He was shot dead on Saturday in Enugu, Enugu State, along with
two of his lieutenants— Ikechukwu Adiele and Lucky Ode— by soldiers
and operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).
The bodies of Johnson, Adiele and Ode were yesterday displayed
at the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, by the
division’s outgoing General Officer Commanding (GOC), Maj.-Gen.
Enobong Udoh, who was accompanied by Rivers State Director of DSS
Mr. Tosin Ajayi and Commissioner of Police Zaki Ahmed.
Three AK-47 rifles and eight magazines were allegedly recovered
from Johnson, Adiele and Ode.
Shortly after accepting Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike’s
amnesty offer, the ex-militant “General” was on December 20, 2016
conferred with the chieftaincy title of Oyirimba I of Ogbaland by
the paramount ruler of Aligwu community in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local
Government Area, King C. Nwokocha, in his palace, for laying down
his arms.
Johnson’s camp, mansion and shrines in the local government were
raided on November 20, last year by 6 Division troops, who
recovered 10 human skulls and various human bones, among other
items. Seven suspects, including two women, were arrested.
The GOC told reporters yesterday: “In the early hours of January
1, 2018, there was a mayhem in which 22 citizens of Omoku, Rivers
State were heartlessly murdered while returning from the ‘crossover
service’. After that, there was a presidential directive by Mr.
President (Muhammadu Buhari) that the heartless
killers/perpetrators of the mayhem must be hunted down and brought
to book.
“The directive was conveyed in a mandate by the Chief of Army
Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, to 6 Division, to collaborate with
the DSS, police and other security agencies in Rivers State to hunt
down and bring to book the perpetrators of the mayhem. We
collaborated and tracked down Don Waney and some of his gang
members to Enugu. They were initially hiding in Imo State. We
traced them to Enugu, where they rented an apartment. They lived
with other people in the neighborhood like normal people. From
there, they were already planning another mayhem in Omoku.
“We moved from here (Port Harcourt) and we collaborated with the
GOC, 82 Division in Enugu and we were able to raid his (Johnson’s)
hideout in Enugu. In the process, he was running away and our
troops set at them. These are the criminals.
“Don Waney, the leader of the criminal murderous gang, was the
masterminder of the January 1, 2018 massacre in Omoku, but the
operation was physically led by Ikechukwu Adiele, who is among the
three persons now killed. There is another person, whom I do not
want to mention, that led the operation with him (Adiele). We will
not rest, until we get all of them and bring them to book.”
The Deputy Director, Army Public Relations of 6 Division, Col.
Aminu Iliyasu, in a statement yesterday, prior to the display of
the bodies, titled: “End of the road for notorious cultist,
kidnapper and mass murderer, Don Waney”, stated that besides the
strange discoveries of November 20, 2017 in Johnson’s camp and
shrines, troops of 6 division, in continuation of the operation, on
November 21, 2017 also exhumed decomposing bodies of some of his
victims in his shrine.
Iliyasu said Johnson, from the relative safety of his
newly-rented apartment in Enugu, was perfecting plans to unleash
more mayhem in Omoku, in which he was to attack churches, schools,
army and police locations and the homes of the generality of the
already-traumatised people of Omoku.
The Deputy Director, Army Public Relations of 6 Division, said:
“Following his (Johnson’s) successful geo-location to his new Enugu
neighbourhood hideout by the DSS, Rivers State Command, a combined
team of troops of 82 Division, Nigerian Army, Enugu and personnel
of DSS, Rivers State Command, raided the hideout to arrest him and
his accomplices.
“Incidentally, on sensing that the combined team was closing in
on his residence, Don Waney, his Second-in-Command (Ikechukwu
Adiele) and another gang member (Lucky Ode) attempted to escape
through the back exit of the apartment and were shot down by the
eagle-eyed troops in the process. One of them died on the spot
while the other two, who sustained gunshot wounds, eventually died
while being evacuated for medical attention.
“The remains of Don Waney and his cohorts were brought back to
Port Harcourt, Rivers State by the combined team and handed over to
the Rivers State Police Command, for further action.”
Iliyasu stated that authorities of 6 Division extended their
condolences to the families of all the victims of the “evil Don
Waney and his gang,” while solicited further cooperation of the
public for information to arrest the remaining gang members to
bring them to justice, for a peaceful, prosperous and secure Omoku,
Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area, Rivers state and other
parts of Niger Delta region.
The Police Commissioner said: “It is a fallacy that security
agencies in Rivers State do not have the wherewithal to confront
and apprehend criminals in Rivers State. Security agencies in
Rivers State are collaborating. You can see the result of the
synergy. The perpetrators were tracked. In an exchange of gunfire,
they were gunned down.
“Security agencies are working hard to ensure that people live
in harmony, in peace and go about their lawful businesses without
any molestation. I can assure you that we will not rest, until when
we get all the criminals arrested and brought to book.
“I want everybody to know that crime does not pay. No matter
what, the long arm of the law will eventually catch up with the
criminals. Don Waney and members of his gang acted as if they were
above the law, but look at them now. Young people must desist from
joining violent gang of criminals because, at the end of the day,
the law will catch up with them and they will go.
“We are taking the battle to the hideouts of other criminals in
Rivers State and we will get them arrested. Businesses and other
economic activities in Omoku and its environs were crippled by Don
Waney and members of his gang, but we will continue to work hand in
hand with other security agencies to sanitise the areas, for
businesses to pick up immediately.
“We are aware that Don Waney had many gang members (over 1,500),
but we have their profiles. I can assure you that we are taking the
battle to their hideouts. We know where the gang leaders and other
criminals are. We are going to get them arrested and
prosecuted.”
Ahmed admonished residents to continue to cooperate and
collaborate with the security agencies by giving them information,
which he would be treated with utmost confidentiality.
Read more https://nairalaw.com/security-agents-gun-down-january-1-killings-suspect/