Tension: When the moment comes, we shall stand with Tompolo – Ijaw People To FG
26th Jan. 2016
The face-off between security operatives and ijaw communities seems to have taken a new turn as a group; Ijaw People’s Development Initiative (IPDI) has vowed to stand with Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo.
Tompolo has been in hiding since a court ordered that he be arrested. The order has sparked bombing of pipelines in the Niger Delta region by suspected militants who are loyal to the ex-militant.
Security operatives have been deployed to the region and the Joint Task Force has vowed to hold the community leaders accountable for any vandalism in the region. The federal government has also ordered the communities to produce Tompolo and other suspected vandals.
Vanguard reports that in a joint statement issued by Niger Delta Security Watch Organisation of Nigeria and IPDI and signed by their leaders, Dickson Bekederemo and Austin Ozobo, the groups said that although they support the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, they were solidly behind Tompolo and would not sacrifice him.
“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.”
In a related development, Ijaw elders said that they cannot hand over Tompolo to the federal government because they don’t know where he is.
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