Samuel Owonaru, a retired Chief of Staff of the Niger Delta Volunteer Force, is dead.

Owonaru was the second in command to late revolutionary fighter, Isaac Adaka Boro, who fought for the liberation of the oil-rich Niger Delta region from the Nigerian State. 

He died on Tuesday morning in Kaiama, Bayelsa State, after a brief illness.

Owonaru was arrested and tried by the Nigerian Government and sentenced to death.

He was in prison awaiting execution for a few months until a counter coup brought General Yakubu Gowon (retd) to power as Head of State, who immediately released him from jail. 

Between 1967-1970 Owonaru was a captain in the Nigerian Army and fought on the side of the Federal Government against Biafran soldiers led by late Odimegwu Ojukwu. 

Owonaru sustained a serious injury during the Civil War and was left in a wheelchair ever since until his demise on Tuesday.