Niger Delta Militancy: Tompolo responsible for own predicament, Ijaw group

An Ijaw group has told ex-militant leader, Mr. Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, to be honest enough to take responsibility for his predicament and ongoing trial over allegation of fraud against him by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The group, Ijaw Future Agenda IFA, in a statement Saturday July 23 in Lagos, by its Coordinator, Ebipade Clement, while reacting to Tompolo's letter to Buhari on how Doctors amputated the leg of his father allegedly brutalized and arrest of his associates by the military, said Tompolo should be faithful to recall how his past actions and militancy activities may have affected others or resulted to lots of innocent lives.

Tompolo in the letter had blamed his predicament and ongoing arrest of his associates over the attacks on oil facilities in Gbaramatu by militants on a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Delta State, and Gbaramatu leader, Chief Michael Johnny, also Chairman of Egbema Gbaramatu Communities Development Foundation.

But Ijaw Future Agenda reminded Tompolo that it was the second time he has been declared wanted by the federal government for crimes he personally committed and the innocent Gbaramatu people are always the victims.

The group noted that the people of Gbaramatu are not happy that whenever Tompolo has personal issues with federal government, they are meant to suffer for what they know nothing about even though they are afraid to speak out.

“the people of Gbaramatu kingdom, Ijaw nation and Niger Delta region have not forgotten in a hurray how Tompolo sent Johnny to Okere prison over the controversial Nigerian Maritime University, in Okerenkoko. Johnny never blew up oil facilities, he has not defrauded government or killed any anyone, yet despite his innocence he was sent to Prison without any crime committed"

According to group “we must be reminded that for every decision or action taken there is always a repercussion, the Court and Delta state government failed to establish their case against Johnny and he was eventually released from Okere prison. It was a sacrifice paid by Johnny for the liberation and development of Gbaramatu kingdom".

“Johnny was able to defend his innocence, shamed his detractors and has since moved on with his life. All Johnny wanted is the development of Gbaramatu, creating an enabling environment to attract investors to Gbaramatu who would provide employment for the youths. Therefore, Tompolo being declared wanted over his ongoing trial by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and arrest of his associates has nothing to do with Johnny".

The group pointed that Tompolo should allow his arrested associates by the military to prove their innocence because in the same Gbaramatu the innocent ones are going about with their normal everyday life and activities.

" Johnny has never being involved in any criminal activities, he is a law abiding and patriotic Nigerian, whose desire has been to get government and multinational oil companies to develop his Gbaramatu Kingdom".

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