No Peace Pact With Militant Leaders – JTF

The operatives of the Joint Military Task Force has denied entering into a peace agreement with a militant leader, John Togo, insisting that he is still being sought for his nefarious activities in the creeks of Niger Delta.

Togo was alleged to be responsible for the civil disorderliness recorded in Bomadi, Burutu local government area of Delta state, resulting in the killings of innocent people as well as the destruction of properties worth millions of naira.

There is rumours going round that the unrepentant militant leader John Togo has reached truce with the security outfit to cease fire, but the JTF in an online statement signed by its Joint Media Coordinator, Lt. Col. Timothy Antigha denied the reports, describing it as unfortunate, completely false, intended to malign the command of the JTF and misdirect the Federal Government and the generality of Nigerians about the true situation on ground.

The statement, Col. Atigha said is further intended to undermine the gallant effort of the JTF to rout dangerous criminal gangs from the creeks of the Niger Delta.

Consequently, the Task Force wishes to make it abundantly clear that it is not directly or through any proxy, negotiating or planning to negotiate with anyone to facilitate the surrender or ceasefire for anyone as claimed by the report.

The purported “Preliminary Discussion with the JTF” alleged in the rumour which was carried out by some media houses did not take place. The counsel who allegedly held this “Preliminary Discussion” with the JTF has denied having had any such discussion or mentioning same to the correspondent.

For the avoidance of doubt, John Togo is someone who refused to embrace the Amnesty Programme and preferred to levy war on the state, when the JTF needed him to surrender his militant camp and also account for the resurgence of kidnapping, rape, sea robbery among other crimes perpetrated by his gang in the creeks of the Niger Delta.

His profile suggests that he is a dangerous criminal and should not be taken for granted. In fact he has been declared wanted by the Joint Task Force. Therefore, anyone who is harbouring John Togo is advised to turn him in, to avoid being caught in the cross fire,” the JTF statement added.