George Onah, Hector Igbikiowubo & Kingsley Omonobi
17 August 2007
Port Harcourt — ONE of the two gang leaders behind last week's violence in Port Harcourt, Soboma George, was killed yesterday in a massive joint military operation to dislodge the gunmen who were terrorising the city.
Soboma, 27, until his death led the Outlaws, one of the over 100 groups operating in the state.
The JTF men stormed his hideout on Ibeto Street in the city following a tip-off. It was a move that caught Soboma and his men off guard. Expectedly, a gun battle ensured, but it was the JTF that carried the day. Ateke Tom, leader of the other group thought to be involved in the violence issued a statement denying his involvement.
Several other people were feared dead in the operation and at least 20 gang leaders arrested.
President Umaru Yar'Adua, Vanguard gathered yesterday, had ordered an investigation into the source(s) of arms inflow into the Niger Delta.
Consequently, certain individuals have been placed under surveillance while ships doing business in the region are to be closely monitored by the Navy.
Spokesman for the Army in Port Harcourt, Major Sagir Musa said: "We conducted a surprise attack at his (Soboma George) hideout. George is suspected to have been killed while 20 of his men were captured."
When pressed to confirm if George was dead, Sagir said: "Just take the information I just gave to you. We will give more details about the operation later. The operation will continue until sanity is restored to the entire city and it is ongoing."
Soboma George who was in detention at the "awaiting trial men" section of a prison, escaped two years ago and had since been involved in militant attacks in the region.
Vanguard gathered that a fierce battle ensued between his men and those of the JTF in the early hours of yesterday around Borokiri, Marine Base and Harbour Road axis of Port Harcourt.
As the battle for supremacy raged, residents of Creek Road, Marine Base and some waterfronts that make up the Borokiri area of the town fled and closed their offices and stores.
After the shoot-out subsided, residents of these areas were seen moving out in droves, while the army cordoned off the areas with Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), forcing people to walk long distances with their arms raised.
Such scenes were witnessed at the Eastern by-pass where no vehicular movement was allowed.
Ateke Tom disowns P-Harcourt violence
However, Ateke Tom expressed shock yesterday that he had been associated with the ongoing orgy of violence in Port Harcourt, explaining that he had been far removed from the events of the past week having renounced violence in a well-attended ceremony in Okrika town.
Tom reiterated his earlier position that he had renounced violence as a way out of the crisis in the region and urged journalists to verify the information at their disposal before going to press.
He also issued a statement saying: "I don't have any involvement in the fighting that took place in Port Harcourt last week.
I spent close to N120,000,000.00 to make peace in my town Okrika which is evident in the present harmony that exists between the various factions that never agreed or sat together before now. If I could do this singlehandedly in Okrika without any assistance from government or chiefs, I think I don't have any moral or logical justification to institute a crisis of that magnitude in Port Harcourt no matter what.
"Those who are indicting me are the people who conspired to kill me. I am not surprised that they will make effective use of this opportunity to indict me, which may serve as a prelude to another state government sponsored JTF attack on me since I Ateke have become their common enemy. I wish to emphasize that I am for peace and I have been following the peace talks of the Federal Government in recent times," he said.
Vanguard observed that fighter helicopters, painted in military camouflage, threw bombs, with earth shaking vibrations, within and around areas surrounding the city centre, overlooking the creeks of Okrika and Marine Base and Borokiri area.
Rocket-propelled grenades (RPG) may have been employed by the ground troops too, as wild smoke accompanied ear piercing explosions, signalling the landing of bombs and the far away burst of rifle fire could be heard in the background.
As the shooting raged, residents made frantic phone calls to relations, friends and associates, telling those in the calm environment that their areas were under siege.
In the interim, movement was restricted to the city centre through the eastern bypass towards Marine Base axis. Scores of soldiers and their trucks cordoned off the link road joining Ogbunabali, Elekahia and Trans-Amadi Industrial Layout.
Also, vehicular movement from Isaac Boro Park and Mile 1 towards UTC to the town were halted.
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