By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South
HUNTED ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, said yesterday, that his family and associates were under siege by security agents, who allegedly treated roughly his 84-year-old father, in Kurutie community, Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government, resulting in the amputation of his lower limbs, two weeks ago.
Tompolo and Buhari
Tompolo, in an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, which he
indicated might be his last, said the continuous harassment and
intimidation was getting out of hand, and he does not deserve it.
He said after the military invaded Kurutie and brutalized his father, sympathizers managed to rescue him to Warri, where the hospital admitted him.
“Sadly, one of his lower limbs was amputated two weeks ago. From the doctor’s report, it will be a thing of miracle if he survives this incident. Is this 84- year- old man also a member of the Niger Delta Avengers that they brutalized to the point of death,?” he asked.
He alleged that the harassment and intimidation was carried out by the Nigeria Army, Navy and Department of State Services, DSS, in connivance with two chieftains of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Delta State, Chief Ayiri Emami and Chief Michael Johnny.
“I have not heard of anyone that was treated like this even in the volatile North Eastern part of the country. I have said it in many occasions that the issue I am having with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will not lead to violence or resort to destruction of pipelines and other oil facilities, because I have a good case,” he maintained.
Ayiri, Johnny debunk Tompolo’s claim
Contacted yesterday, Chief Emami dismissed the allegation by Tompolo, saying he was not behind his ordeal.
He asserted: “If the security agencies are doing their job, I support them, I owe Tompolo no apology. All I know is that they are causing damage to the country with the bombing of pipelines and if they want the security agencies to stop disturbing them, they should stop blowing up pipelines.”
“To me, the security agencies are not even doing enough to stop the pipeline bombings, they should get to the root of the matter and stop the perpetrators,” he added.
Chief Johnny, who spoke to Saturday Vanguard on phone denied that he was responsible for the arrest of any person by the security agencies. He also said it was not true that he threatened the secretary of the Ijaw People Deve-lopment Initiative, IPDI, Daniel Ezekiel on phone for allegedly revealing the names of informants that led soldiers to arrest a Tompolo associate, Monday, in Warri.
They harassed pregnant woman with gun
Tompolo, who also dismissed their denial, continued: “The latest victims of this unwarranted, misdirected and wicked act are Hon. Simeon Bebenimibo, a member of the Delta State Waterway and Land Security Committee and a driver of one of my aides, Mr Ebipade Kari, who was on an errand with a little baby.”
“The baby was thrown out from the vehicle, as the driver was beaten up by your men, as he was asked the whereabouts of his boss. That was not all; the military men stormed the house of one of my younger brothers, and harassed his pregnant wife with guns pointed at her.
“The duo who were arrested are presently in the custody of the Nigerian Army, Effurun. Before this incident, the Navy went to the apartment of another of my aide, picked up his heavily pregnant wife as he was out of town, and kept her for 24 hours in the Navy Base before releasing her.
“The mode of operation is that the military command usually camo-uflages associates of two APC leaders with military uniforms and they go from door to door with a long list of names and addresses of my family members and associates with the intention of arresting them,” he said.
He asserted: “Your Excellency Sir, it could be recalled that this was how the military went to Oporoza town on Saturday, May 28, 2016, at about 2.00 am, and held the community hostage for one week. During that midnight invasion, the military carted away valuables worth several millions of naira, desecrated worship centres and took away the symbol of authority of the Gbaramatu people from the Egbesu shrine.”
Is this because I supported Jonathan?
Tompolo stated: “Your Excellency Sir, I have been wondering since the beginning of my travails at your instance whether this is part of the fight against corruption in Nigeria? Or was it because I supported my kinsman, former President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 general elections? I thought everyone in Nigeria has the liberty to support whomever he or she deemed fit in an election.”
“And as Dr Jonathan bravely accepted the outcome of the election, which brought you in as President of Nigeria today, I thought you will heal wounds as the father of the nation.
In addition, it was on this premise that I visited you immediately after your swearing-in ceremony to pledge my loyalty and readiness to work with your administration.
HUNTED ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, said yesterday, that his family and associates were under siege by security agents, who allegedly treated roughly his 84-year-old father, in Kurutie community, Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government, resulting in the amputation of his lower limbs, two weeks ago.
Tompolo and Buhari
Tompolo, in an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, which he
indicated might be his last, said the continuous harassment and
intimidation was getting out of hand, and he does not deserve it.He said after the military invaded Kurutie and brutalized his father, sympathizers managed to rescue him to Warri, where the hospital admitted him.
“Sadly, one of his lower limbs was amputated two weeks ago. From the doctor’s report, it will be a thing of miracle if he survives this incident. Is this 84- year- old man also a member of the Niger Delta Avengers that they brutalized to the point of death,?” he asked.
He alleged that the harassment and intimidation was carried out by the Nigeria Army, Navy and Department of State Services, DSS, in connivance with two chieftains of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Delta State, Chief Ayiri Emami and Chief Michael Johnny.
“I have not heard of anyone that was treated like this even in the volatile North Eastern part of the country. I have said it in many occasions that the issue I am having with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will not lead to violence or resort to destruction of pipelines and other oil facilities, because I have a good case,” he maintained.
Ayiri, Johnny debunk Tompolo’s claim
Contacted yesterday, Chief Emami dismissed the allegation by Tompolo, saying he was not behind his ordeal.
He asserted: “If the security agencies are doing their job, I support them, I owe Tompolo no apology. All I know is that they are causing damage to the country with the bombing of pipelines and if they want the security agencies to stop disturbing them, they should stop blowing up pipelines.”
“To me, the security agencies are not even doing enough to stop the pipeline bombings, they should get to the root of the matter and stop the perpetrators,” he added.
Chief Johnny, who spoke to Saturday Vanguard on phone denied that he was responsible for the arrest of any person by the security agencies. He also said it was not true that he threatened the secretary of the Ijaw People Deve-lopment Initiative, IPDI, Daniel Ezekiel on phone for allegedly revealing the names of informants that led soldiers to arrest a Tompolo associate, Monday, in Warri.
They harassed pregnant woman with gun
Tompolo, who also dismissed their denial, continued: “The latest victims of this unwarranted, misdirected and wicked act are Hon. Simeon Bebenimibo, a member of the Delta State Waterway and Land Security Committee and a driver of one of my aides, Mr Ebipade Kari, who was on an errand with a little baby.”
“The baby was thrown out from the vehicle, as the driver was beaten up by your men, as he was asked the whereabouts of his boss. That was not all; the military men stormed the house of one of my younger brothers, and harassed his pregnant wife with guns pointed at her.
“The duo who were arrested are presently in the custody of the Nigerian Army, Effurun. Before this incident, the Navy went to the apartment of another of my aide, picked up his heavily pregnant wife as he was out of town, and kept her for 24 hours in the Navy Base before releasing her.
“The mode of operation is that the military command usually camo-uflages associates of two APC leaders with military uniforms and they go from door to door with a long list of names and addresses of my family members and associates with the intention of arresting them,” he said.
He asserted: “Your Excellency Sir, it could be recalled that this was how the military went to Oporoza town on Saturday, May 28, 2016, at about 2.00 am, and held the community hostage for one week. During that midnight invasion, the military carted away valuables worth several millions of naira, desecrated worship centres and took away the symbol of authority of the Gbaramatu people from the Egbesu shrine.”
Is this because I supported Jonathan?
Tompolo stated: “Your Excellency Sir, I have been wondering since the beginning of my travails at your instance whether this is part of the fight against corruption in Nigeria? Or was it because I supported my kinsman, former President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 general elections? I thought everyone in Nigeria has the liberty to support whomever he or she deemed fit in an election.”
“And as Dr Jonathan bravely accepted the outcome of the election, which brought you in as President of Nigeria today, I thought you will heal wounds as the father of the nation.
In addition, it was on this premise that I visited you immediately after your swearing-in ceremony to pledge my loyalty and readiness to work with your administration.
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