From the early 2000s until 2011, “General” John Togo of the Niger-Delta liberty Force (NDLF) devoted his life to the cause of his people’s freedom and liberty. In spite of his courage, he was eventually betrayed by his community and brother, who turned him up to the authorities in exchange for money. Due to oil, it’s possible that not many Southwest Nigerians were aware of the valiant General John Togo, either during his lifetime or following his untimely death at the hands of the government. We tell his narrative today in order to gain a deeper understanding of our beloved nation’s past.
Names like Tompolo Ebikabowei, Victor-Ben, Godswill Tamuno, Ateke Tom, Soboma George, Brutus Ebipadei, Solomon Ndigbara, and Tubotamuno Angolia have been mentioned in the history of militant leaders in the Niger Delta. But in the Niger Delta’s history, the name John Togo stands out in a special way. John Togo, John Togo, John Togo—a guy of extraordinary courage who fought to the death against the Nigerian army. He is referred to be a hero by some, a pirate by others; a killer by others, a vicious militant by others, or a freedom fighter by others. I saw him as a man who battled for his people and wanted the best for them, but he was eventually betrayed by them. A real-life tale.
The Nigerian government made two unsuccessful attempts to kill him. He wasn’t bombed or shot by the Joint Task Force (JTF) until the third attempt, when his brothers told the Fulanis where he was in the deep creek. In Nigeria’s Niger Delta, there is a militant organization called the Niger Delta Liberation Front (NDLF). According to John Togo, the group’s former commander, its primary objective is to break away from Nigeria and become independent. John Togo, the group’s leader, is well-known throughout Nigeria for being a valiant soldier.
Even though Togo is the most well-known member of the NDLF.On July 19, 2011, a Nigerian airstrike near Warri in Delta State killed him. The gang fights with the Nigerian Army and has strong ties to the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta. War broke out inside the NDLF in early 2013 as two commanders claimed leadership. After one was killed in March 2013, it came to an end.
The Ijaw Youth Council was established in 1998, and a large number of militants were raised there. The Odi Massacre in Bayelsa State in 1999 served as the catalyst for the outbreak of violence.
In order to completely upend Nigeria’s petroleum industry, the Joint Revolutionary Council was established in 2004 and began recruiting members. A splinter group was founded in 2005 by prominent member John Togo in response to the Joint Revolutionary Council’s lackluster performance. Togo headed into the Niger Delta to launch attacks after recruiting over 4,000 people. One of the most well-known and prosperous warlords in the Niger Delta was John Togo.
His scar on his face from being shot by a Nigerian soldier was his most distinguishing characteristic. Togo was renowned for his ability to create bombs and launch well-planned attacks against oil facilities.
After the Nigerian government failed to fulfill its promises, Togo resumed to fighting a month after accepting official amnesty in 2009. Togo was Nigeria’s most wanted man by 2010.The Nigerian Air Force bombed his camp in October 2010, but Togo and his men managed to escape into the Delta’s wetlands. The Nigerian Army engaged Togo and the NDLF in combat in June 2011. After Togo was shot in the arm, his men transported him to a Warri hospital. They ran back into the jungle once the bullet was taken out of his arm. Nigerian military attacked the hospital less than an hour later, arriving just in time to apprehend him.
Many members joined the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta after Togo’s death, which made the NDLF appear weak. About 2,500 members of the NDLF remained, despite the fact that many left. They intermittently assaulted oil sites throughout the next two years. “We learned authoritatively that the warlord died on Saturday, May 14 after his two legs were shattered by soldiers, who took him and his fighters unawares on May 12 between 2.00 and 2.30 p.m. with jet fighters and other war gadgets,” according to another version published by Sunday Vanguard News newspaper.
He was attacked at one of his new camps, which the task force learned about from intelligence reports. He was taken to a riverine community in the Bomadi local government region for treatment by his fighters, who were shocked to see how seriously injured their leader was. However, given the severity of the wounds, it was clear that he would not live.
John Togo is regarded as one of the most exceptional soldiers to have ever come out of the South-South region of Nigeria and is known for his valor in the history of Warri and the Niger Delta.
