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Siege to Gbaramatu: Hunt for me pointless — Tompolo

I won’t succumb to Tompolo’s blackmail —Ayiri
By Emma Amaize
WARRI —EX-MILITANT leader, Government
Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, yesterday, cautioned
that the current siege to Gbaramatu Kingdom, Delta
State and manhunt for him by the military would
not guarantee the desired peaceful atmosphere for
uninterrupted oil exploration activities by the
Federal Government.
Meanwhile, Itsekiri leader and Niger Delta activist,
Chief Ayiri Emami, insisted, yesterday, that he
would not capitulate to the intimidation of
Tompolo.
Responding to comment against him by Tompolo,
who accused him of fabricating lies against him,
Emami said: “Whatever I am saying is the truth. It
is the right thing I am saying.”
Tompolo, in a statement, said he was dismayed at
the nonstop siege to Gbaramatu Kingdom and
manhunt for him by both the Federal Government
and Nigerian military under the guise of looking for
members of Niger Delta Avengers, despite his
numerous statements that he had nothing to do
with the militant group.
He berated Itsekiri leader, Chief Ayiri Emami and
others for allegedly giving bogus information about
him, saying: “It baffles me that the Nigerian military
has refused to believe me that I am not part of the
group and its activities as contained in several
media statements.
“I am obviously a victim of circumstances in this
matter because of my case with the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. How can I
resort to destruction of oil facilities because of
those trumped-up charges against me by EFCC,
when my lawyers are already challenging the faulty
process of legal service on me?
“If not for the common insinuation that the
Nigerian judiciary is on trial, why would my case
with the EFCC become the greatest issue in Nigeria
today when there are so many important things to
talk about?
“I am greatly touched and disappointed with the
manner the Nigerian government and the military
are being arm-twisted by the unfounded claims of
Ayiri Emami and others that I am behind the Niger
Delta Avengers group when there is no single
proof to back the claim.
“May I once again point out that Ayiri Emami and
others accusing me of the destruction of oil
facilities in parts of the Delta State are simply
looking for relevance, recognition and pipeline
surveillance contracts. If anyone doubts what I am
saying, they should find out from the GMD and
Minister for State for Petroleum because Ayiri and
his likes have been troubling the Minister for
pipeline surveillance contracts for some time now."
Reacting, Chief Emami said: “If I am lying, why did
Delta State Government set up an Advocacy
Committee to stop pipeline vandalism in the creeks
of the state? Who is the committee, headed by the
deputy governor, going to meet in the creeks? Is it
Itsekiri militants or Ijaw militants?"

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