Former Niger Delta militant kingpin, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, aka Tompolo
Former Niger Delta militant kingpin, Chief Government Ekpemupolo,
aka Tompolo who is in hiding has accused the Nigerian Army of allegedly
'stealing' the golden sword which is the symbol of authority belonging
to Gbaramatu Kingdom.
The wanted man who wrote a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari
appealed that he use his good office to prevail on the Nigerian Army to
return the golden sword, which was allegedly seized by the military
during the invasion of the area last month.
The ‘golden sword’, which is also referred to as the traditional
symbol of authority, according to Tompolo, belongs to Gbaramatu Kingdom
and was allegedly removed from the ‘Egbesu Shrine’ during soldiers’
invasion of Oporoza, headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom, in Warri
South-West of Delta State.
Tompolo who is also the Ibe-Ebidouwei of Ijaw Nation, who also
described himself as the Chief Priest of the Egbesu Shrine, also alleged
that other property worth several millions of naira belonging to
Gbaramtu indigenes were still missing.
He said, “Your military has not returned the golden sword
(symbol of authority) and the innocent students as well as the palace
staff picked up at Oporoza town, on Saturday, May 28, 2016, to Gbaramatu
Kingdom.
“Today is exactly 31 days after the invasion of the traditional
headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Oporoza town, by your military, led
by Brig.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya of the 4th Brigade, Benin City, in search of
me, with the allegation that I am the one behind the bombing and
destruction of crude oil facilities in the Niger Delta region, and the
incident happened in my absence.
“But I was informed that the army was on the loose, and
committed so much abomination in the community. Imagine, the traditional
ruler of the kingdom was literally placed on house arrest for one week.
“As I said in my previous publications, the military made away
with the Symbol of Authority of the Gbaramatu people from the Egbesu
Shrine, which I am the Chief Priest. They also made away with other
valuables, worth several millions of naira from the community. The most
annoying one is the purported arrest of 10 young promising men, most of
whom are orphans, who are secondary school students sitting for the West
African Senior Secondary School Examinations, and other palace staff,
and labelled them as members of the Niger Delta Avengers.”
Tompolo, who is wanted by the EFCC for money laundering, added, “As
I write you now, these innocent young promising men are still with your
military for no reason. This is truly man’s inhumanity to man in our
own country. We are presently being treated like conquered ones because
of crude oil.
“This was how they arrested Chevron Nigeria Limited staff
(employees) on routine duty in Kokodiagbene community of Gbaramatu
Kingdom, and labelled them members of the Niger Delta Avengers. It took
spirited efforts by the leaders of the kingdom and other well-meaning
Nigerians to convince the military that the arrested men were not
involved in pipeline destruction.”
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