Notorious killer, Don Wani, 2 of his gang members killed in Enugu

Wani, 34, and two of his lieutenants; Ikechukwu Adiele and Lucky Ode, were gunned down on Saturday, January 6, 2018, The Nation reports.

He was said to have masterminded the the New Year day killing of 17 worshippers after crossover service in Omoku, Rivers State.

The outgoing General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 6 division of the Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, Maj.-Gen. Enobong Udoh, on Sunday displayed the lifeless bodies of the alleged murderers.

The Rivers Director of DSS, Mr. Tosin Ajayi, and Rivers Commissioner of Police, Zaki Ahmed were also present at the division when the bodies were displayed.

Three AK-47 rifles and eight magazines were reported to have been recovered from Johnson, Adiele and Ode.

Wani and other militants had in 2016 laid down their arms and accepted the amnesty offer by Governor Nyesom Wike.

On December 20, 2016, shortly he accepted the amnesty, the ex-militant leader was conferred with a chieftaincy title of Oyirimba I of Ogbaland by the paramount ruler of Aligwu community in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA of Rivers state, King C. Nwokocha, in his palace, for laying down his arms and ammunition, thereby embracing the amnesty offer of Wike's government.

Wani's camp, mansion and shrines in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA were raided in the early hours of November 20, 2017 by troops of 6 division, with the soldiers recovering ten human skulls and various human bones, among other items, while seven suspects, including two women, were also arrested.

Addressing journalists, the GOC said "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."

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Also, in an online statement on Sunday morning, prior to the display of the bodies, the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations of 6 division, Col. Aminu Iliyasu, said besides the strange discoveries of November 20, 2017 in Johnson's camp and shrines, troops of 6 division, on November 21, 2017, also exhumed decomposing bodies of some of his victims in his shrine.

Iliyasu revealed that Johnson, from the relative safety of his newly-rented apartment in Enugu, was already perfecting plans to wrought another mayhem in Omoku, in which he was to attack churches, schools, army and police locations and the residences of the generality of the already-traumatised people of Omoku.

The army spokesman added, "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 also 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 soliciting further cooperation of members of the society in volunteering useful information to track down and arrest the remaining gang members.