A former commander of the defunct Niger Delta Liberation Force (NDLF) has publicly debunked long-standing claims that the late General John Togo founded the militant group, asserting instead that High Chief Sobomabo Jackrich, popularly known as Egberipapa, established it in 2005.
General Julius Wilson, widely recognized as General Mabeke a founding member and ex-commander of the NDLF broke years of silence in an interview and on his Facebook page to correct what he described as "false stories" circulating on blogs and social media.
“That is a big lie from the pit of hell,” Wilson stated emphatically. “While I do not intend to delve into their assumptions, it became expedient that I put the records straight for people to know the true story.”
According to Wilson, the NDLF originated from a visit by himself and other early members including the late John Togo to Jackrich’s camp in Rivers State amid the Itshekiri-Ijaw crisis in Ogbokone community, Warri.
At the time, many key figures were incarcerated in Okere Prison, making it impossible for Togo to have founded the group independently.
“The question is, as at 2005 when the NDLF was founded, we were all locked up in Okere Prison. Does it mean it was founded while in prison without my knowledge?” Wilson questioned.
“So no one should come online to dispense false stories they know nothing about. The defunct Niger Delta Liberation Force was founded by High Chief Egberipapa of Rivers State.”
Wilson recounted that upon meeting Jackrich, the high chief declared his own group under the name Niger Delta Liberation Force, complete with a flag and a substantial number of fighters already assembled.
Jackrich reportedly provided significant support, including brand-new merchandise and logistics valued at over ₦10 million at the time, before the group departed Rivers State.
“He gave the late John Togo a brand new merchandise as at then worth over ₦10 million and some logistics before we left Rivers State,” Wilson explained.
“General Egberipapa declared the late John Togo 2nd in command and not John Togo being leader.”
The revelation challenges a widely held narrative in Niger Delta militant history that credited the late John Togo killed in a 2011 Joint Task Force operation with founding the NDLF.
Wilson dismissed such accounts as misinformation and emphasized the need to preserve an accurate historical record.
High Chief Sobomabo Jackrich, who has since transitioned from militancy to politics and community advocacy through initiatives like the Rivers Grassroots Movement (RGM), was not directly quoted in the report but is portrayed as a pivotal figure in the group's formation.
The NDLF, active in the early 2000s amid broader Niger Delta agitations for resource control and regional development, is now defunct.
This account from a direct participant highlights ongoing debates over the legacies and origins of key militant organizations in the region.
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com