Government Ekpemupolo, the Niger Delta militant declared
wanted by the Nigerian authorities, has attributed his problems with
the current government to Ayiri Emami, a chieftain of the All
Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta State. In a statement signed by
him, Tompolo also blamed the rift between him and Emami for the
continuous military siege on his hometown, Gbaramatu, and environs,
which he said is being carried out on the pretext of looking for
members of the Niger Delta Avengers. He denied having any relationship
with the new and dangerous militant group, which has been attacking oil
installations. Tompolo added his case with the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission ( EFCC) has made him a convenient target for Emami
and others.
'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 circumstance 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 the 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? "
asked Tompolo.
He expressed disappointment with government, which he alleged, is
using the military to carry out the demands of i Emami and others, who
accuse him of being behind Niger Delta Avengers.group, "There is no
single proof to back the claim. May I once again point it out that Ayiri
Emami and others accusing me of the destruction of oil facilities in
part of the Delta are simply looking for relevance, recognition and
pipeline surveillance contracts. If anyone doubts what I am saying,
such should find out from the Group Managing Director ( 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.
"The Minister has even succumbed to the Ayiri Emami gimmick by
appointing some of his cronies as special advisers. The funny thing
about Ayiri Emami is that he does not even have the capacity and
goodwill to protect oil facilities," he claimed.
Tompolo said that when his company was famously given a one -year
pipeline surveillance contract in Delta State, Emami was a director of a
rival company, Oil Facility Surveillance Limited in 2012, but could
not protect the oil facilities in his care. "I was the one that was
equally doing his job. It is on record and the authorities of the
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) can bear me witness that
even those in Bayelsa (Pajeros Nigeria Limited) and Rivers (Adef Energy
Resoures Nigeria Limited) that had similar surveillance jobs like me,
could not protect the oil facilities in their respective states., " he
added.
Tompolo said it his a pity that President Muhammadu Buhari and the
military do not know they are being duped by people working with them.
"I want the whole world to know that Iam not in competition with Ayiri
Emami on pipeline surveillance contract. And so I wish to call on his
acquaintances to call him to order, as there is no blessing in the path
he is treading.
I wish to honestly advise the Federal Government to tread cautiously
and carefully in this matter, as there is more to what Ayiri Emami and
his likes are doing in the matter than eyes can meet. Therefore, they
need to launch a thorough investigation into the issue, rather than
harassing and intimidating the innocent Gbaramatu Communities and the
people, as this mode of operations by the military will
not guarantee the desired peaceful atmosphere for continuous oil
exploration activities by the Federal Government," he counseled.
