Nigeria’s army says a militant oil leader who had once organized the kidnapping of four British missionaries and death of one of them has been killed.
Military Joint Task Force spokesman Major Ibrahim Abdullahi said Friday that Peregbakumo Oyawerikumo, who was known as “Karowei” was killed in a gun battle.
He said the gun battle occurred after his gang members ambushed the military unit that was transporting him after arrest.
He says Karowei was arrested Thursday in his hideout in southern Nigeria’s Delta state.
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Abdullahi said Karowei is responsible for several abductions, robberies, the destruction of oil facilities, killings of military personnel and the death of British aid worker Ian Squire.
Niger Delta oil militants say they are fighting for the betterment of the oil-rich region, but many are also engaged in criminal activity.
Squire was a British optician kidnapped in Nigeria and was murdered after playing ‘Amazing Grace’ on guitar to cheer up his fellow captives.
Squire, 57, was among four Christian missionaries seized by a gang during a raid in the early hours of October 13 in the country’s southern Delta state.
Details of the medical charity worker’s death were initially withheld, but two of the other hostages held alongside Squire have now spoken of their horrifying ordeal.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Shirley and David Donovan explained that Squire was shot to death the day after the four Britons were captured, and just after singing a hymn.
Dr Donovan told the paper how the group’s spirits were lifted when the kidnappers returned a guitar and Mr Squire played ‘Amazing Grace’.
He told the paper: ‘It was the perfect song, and at that point things began to look not quite as bad.
‘But then, after Ian finished playing, he stood up, and a salvo of gunshots killed him instantly.
