Ex-Niger Delta Militants’ Leader, Tompolo Promises To Appear In Court

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Thursday, January 28th, 2016

By Niyi Adeyi

After being accused of contempt of Court, a repentant Niger Delta Militant and Leader of the Emancipation of the Niger-Delta, (MEND), Government Ekpumupolo, aka Tompolo, Thursday promised he will appear before the court at the appropriate time.

Having declined the invitation of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, hearing the suit of alleged diversion of N34 billion belonging to the Nigerian Maritime and Safety Agency (NIMASA) for personal use and laundering of N22.6 billion, filed by the EFCC against him, the court had issued a bench warrant on Tompolo, directing the security agencies to produce him.

Speaking through his Media Adviser and Consultant, Mr. Paul Bebenimibo, the former Militant said he would never wage war against the Federal Government (FG) having accepted amnesty in 2009, restating that he was not party to the recent three-day bombing of crude oil and gas pipelines in Delta State.

Tompolo’s aide stressed that his superior has no reason to bomb pipelines because of EFCC case, since he was not guilty of the allegations preferred against him.

“As he has stated in several occasions, he will appear in court at the appropriate time as his lawyers are working towards that,” the former warlord indicated.

“The truth of the matter is that I do not know anything about the N34 billion EFCC is talking about, first, it was 13 billion issue, now it is 34 billion. I am not a signatory to any of the companies mentioned in the said 34 billion case. So I do not know where this one is coming from” Tompolo spoke through his aide.

On the allegation by another ex-militant leader, Africanus Ukparasia, aka “General” Africa that he (Tompolo) bombed pipelines, the accused denied, claiming that he alerted the public that some aggrieved All Progressives Congress (APC), members in Bayelsa and Delta States wanted to destroy National assets in the Niger Delta states because of the outcome of the Bayelsa Governorship election.

“And true to his fears, these set of APC chieftains that joined the party immediately after the Presidential Election of 2015 were the first people to accuse him of bombing the pipelines to divert public attention” Tompolo alleged.

Speaking on speed boats for war, the ex-Militant in his defence said: “it is the biggest lie of the year, as the military is also aware of the boats and pick-up vans he purchased in 2011 for the surveillance of oil facilities as he was working hand in hand with the military then”.

“Tompolo is a man of peace and he is poised for the development of the coastal Niger Delta region. He prays that this matter be amicably resolved so that everyone will know that he always put his people above his person gains” his statement pleaded.