WARRI—IJAW elders in Delta State,
yesterday, said it was impracticable for them to hand over the former
General Officer Commanding, GOC, of the Movement for the Emancipation of
the Niger Delta, MEND, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, to
security agencies because they neither have the power to do so nor know
his (Tompolo) whereabouts currently.
They also said that they do not have any information that Tompolo was
involved in the three-day bombing of crude oil and gas pipelines in the
state, while many see the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,
EFCC’s case against him as a form of persecution.
The Federal Government, last weekend, asked Ijaw communities to hand
over suspects involved in the bombing, alleged to be hiding in their
areas, to security agencies, while the Joint Task Force, JTF, had
earlier threatened to hold community leaders responsible for further
acts of pipeline vandalism in their communities.
Chairman, Ijaw (Izon) Okosu –Otu (Ijaw Council of Elders), Delta
State, Chief Bare Etolor, said, “It is unfair for the Federal Government
to ask Ijaw communities to handover suspects that carried out the
bombing because we do not know them. In addition, I do not see how
anybody expects us to handover Tompolo to security agencies because we
do not have the power to do that, except they want to humiliate us.”
Another Ijaw leader in Gbaramatu Kkingdom, Chief Godspower Gbenekame,
who re-echoed Etolor’s position, said it was impossible for them to
handover Tompolo to the government.
Some Niger Delta and Ijaw youth groups, including the Niger Delta
Security Watch Organszation of Nigeria, NWSON and Ijaw People’s
Development Initiative, IPDI, threw their weight behind the elders,
saying that the understanding of many Ijaw people was that the
government was persecuting Tompolo because he refused to join the All
Progressives Congress, APC.
However, Executive Director of Centre for the Vulnerable and
Underprivileged, CENTREP, Warri, Delta State, Mr. Oghenjabor Ikimi, said
there was nothing wrong in the residents of the affected areas and
ex-militants giving useful information to security agencies to unmask
the culprits.
We don’t know the bombers —Chief Etolor
Chief Etolor told Vanguard: “It is unfortunate that the
Presidency wants to handle the matter from this angle. Which of the
Northern elders did they tell to produce the Boko Haram leaders that are
bombing in their areas. So, why are they telling us to handover people
who bombed pipelines here?
“If they know the person that did it and ask us to help produce the
person and we see him, we can assist with information if we have any.
How can anybody say Ijaw leaders should handover suspects? We do not
know who did it.
“It is not right. Even if they tell us the person, we do not have
arms to arrest anybody. What they are doing is to make us not to have
confidence in this government. What power do we have over armed
militants? We can only talk to them as elders, not arrest them with
guns.
“I am not supporting criminality. In fact, anybody among us, the Ijaw
elders, can be a victim anytime. It is difficult for us to produce
Tompolo. If they cannot see him with all their intelligence, where do
they expect us to see him? I have not even seen Tompolo myself for
ages.”
On his part, Chief Gbenekame said, “How can you say we should hand
over Tompolo to the EFCC, are we security agents? If he had dealings
with EFCC, they should arrest him. Why are they calling Gbaramatu
elders?
“What I know is that Tompolo made many enemies when he worked for the
Federal Government to guard the pipelines. He burnt illegal refineries,
razed boats and these people are not happy. He has been a partner to
the government all this while, that is why we called for a political
solution to the matter.”
Meanwhile, Niger Delta Secuity Watch Organisation of Nigeria, NSWON
and Ijaw People’s Development Initiative, IPDI, in a joint statement by
their leaders, Dickson Bekederemo and Austin Ozobo, said: “The people of
Niger Delta and the ljaw in particular are not at war with President
Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. However, the ljaw will never
sacrifice their bravest to satisfy the quest for neo-colonialism. When
the moment comes, we shall stand with Tompolo.
“We believe that what the Federal Government wants to do is a repeat
of what the Russians did to Poland during World War II, kill the bravest
of their braves, the rest is history. We wish to inform President
Buhari that in the hearts and minds of every Niger Deltan lies an
embryonic Tompolo waiting to hatch.
“We call on President Buhari not to be deceived by a few pipelines
surveillance contract seekers. There was Judea, yet Christ resurrected
from the dead. There were traitors, yet Allah protected Prophet Mohammed
in the cave with a cob web when people led his enemies to capture him.
“It may interest you to know that Tompolo is a strong member of
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, even in defeat. Unlike some elements of
the party from our region that are bread and butter members. Tompolo
alleged that the APC- led government persuaded him to decamp to its
fold. The party until date, did not refute his assertion.
“Suddenly, the EFCC froze the bank account of Global West Vessels
Limited. The management of the company initiated an action against EFCC
in court. The agency bluntly refused to file a defence, only for the
agency to file charges against him in another Federal High Court.
“The question we will like to ask is: Is Tompolo the chief executive
or the Managing Director of Global West Vessels Limited? Assuming, for
the purpose of argument, that Global Vessels Limited committed financial
crime, is Tompolo the alter ego of the company? The EFCC invitation and
subsequent harassment and persecution of Tompolo goes beyond what meets
the eye.”
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