Hyacinth Chinweuba
Hostilities and sporadic shootings have reportedly resumed in the creeks following more attacks on oil facilities by youths believed to be loyalists of the ex-militant Chief Government Ekpemupolo (alias Tompolo).
While the attacks accompanied with sporadic shootings in Gbaramatu Kingdom lasted, the entire Ijaw speaking communities in Delta State are under siege by thousands of military men.
In Gbaramatu heavily armed soldiers brandished their guns, while residents have allegedly deserted their homes.
The state commissioner of police, Mr. Alkale Baba Usman has however assured the people of their safety, saying that the police and the military were on top of the situation.
There are fears that the latest attacks could spread to Bayelsa State and other states of the region within days, if steps are not taken to stop the sinister plans of the angry Ijaw youths.
The joint media campaign centre co-coordinator of the JTF, Col. Isa Ado told journalists in Warri, that the situation was becoming precarious hence more military men were deployed to Gbaramatu kingdom to ensure law and order.
Security sources have insisted that Tompolo and his nephew were directly in control of the operation along with his close allies and other supporters who allegedly led the destruction of oil facilities in Warri North local government area of the state on Thursday.
Investigation revealed that dozens of ex-militants have returned to creeks in Warri in what is believed to be preparation for more onslaughts on oil facilities, security operatives and communities.
Reports said that oil and gas pipelines in the creeks of Gbaramutu and Ugborodo areas of Warri, South West and those in Egbema north local government area were struck in the early hours of Sunday, leaving confusion and fear in the entire Ijaw communities.
Sources claimed that the ex-militants paraded weapons more in number and sophistication than those used in previous crisis.
They said, Boats are not moving as they used to, shootings are in sporadic manners, the ex-militants were seen dressed in war attires, they are giving directives to their members and supporters but the soldiers are prepared to deal with them”.
Meanwhile the gas pipeline which runs from Alero Creeks to Escravos have been destroyed in the latest attacks, while several crude lines were sabotaged with Makaraba, Otunana Cilton-Nana, Abiteye and Diabi flow stations bombed by the militants.
It has been alleged that the crisis was apparently in reaction to last Thursday’s order by a Federal High Court for the arrest of Tompolo in connection with an alleged N34billion fraud.
The most wanted ex-militant leader in the Niger Delta region, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo popularly known as Tompolo was said to have sent a protest letter to President Muhammadu Buhari over alleged plot by some members of the rulling All Progressives Congress (APC) from Bayelsa and Delta states to frame him and present him as the sponsor of the bomb attacks against oil facilities in the region.
According to Tompolo, though he has repeatedly denied involvement in the alleged case of N13billion land deal fraud and bombing of oil facilities leveled against him, the investigation by him showed that the desperate plot to hang him is allegedly being hatched by the governorship candidate of the APC in Bayelsa State, a lawyer attached to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and one of his kinsmen within Delta State.
Tompolo, in the protest letter made available to newsmen in Yenagoa, alleged that the anger of the governorship candidate of the APC in Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva and others involved in the plot are political and personal against his perceived influence in the region.
The letter reads in part: “I want you to beware of some of your party members in Bayelsa and Delta states.I wish to inform you that it has come to my knowledge that the leader of your party and governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Bayelsa and a few young men from Warri South West LGA of Delta State who joined the party from the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP,after the 2015 presidential election are hell bent on linking me to the renewed vandalisation of oil facilities in the Niger Delta region,whereas they are the ones carrying out the act to smear my name.
“They are doing this in connivance with the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC lawyer,who is also a member of your party, is at the forefront of prosecuting me because I refused to buy property from him.
The crux of this letter is to let you know them that,they are dubious, mischievous, desperate,pretentious, manipulative and corrupt,therefore do not share the same vision and mission with you,as well as do not believe in good governance.
” I will briefly tell you some of their antecedents in this letter.The leader of your party in Bayelsa State approached me shortly after my meeting with you in Abuja,that I should accompany him to meet you and plead for him to be appointed as Special Adviser, SA and Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty programme committee, which I refused to do because of his antecedents, as not a reliable and trustworthy person”.
