*He is yet to surrender  –  JTF

BY EMMA AMAIZE & SAMUEL OYADOGHA

WARRI – MILITANT leader, “General” John Togo of the Niger Delta Liberation Force, NDLF, is feared dead in a battle with the Joint Task Force, JTF, on the Niger Delta.

He was suspected to have been shot and wounded seriously on the leg by soldiers, last week, unknown to the authorities of  task force, who had not relaxed the manhunt for him.

A reliable source said Togo was rushed to a riverine community in Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State for treatment by a traditional medicine man, but he died two days later.

Our source, who is an indigene of the community, said, “John Togo is dead and buried in (name of community withheld) unknown to JTF operatives on the 14th day of this month.

“He was shot on both legs and rushed to the community, his men did not believe he would die but he died. People in the community know but nobody wants to say it because of the consequences. As I speak to you, soldiers are in my community looking for information on John Togo”, he said.

When contacted on the rumoured death ofTogo, NDLF ‘s spokesman, Mark Anthony, told Vanguard, “Gen John Togo is hale and hearty. He has left foran  undisclosed fishing hamlet in a different Niger Delta coastal state waiting for Mr. President’s announcemen.”

Meanwhile, JTF yesterday,

dismissed as diversionary, reports of the alleged surrender of Togo and his gang after months of violent skirmishes in the mangrove creek.

JTF’s spokesman, Lt-Col Timothy Antigha, in a statement, in Yenagoa, said the special security outfit was not aware of the alleged “surrender” of John Togo and his gang.

Reacting to reports that Togo and members of the gang had surrendered after months of massive manhunt, Antigha said,“regarding the information being circulated on the internet about the “surrender” of John Togo and his gang, please, note that the JTF is unaware of such a development,” adding that a surrender cannot be effected in cyberspace or the pages of newspapers.”