SAN FRANCISCO, November 18, (THEWILL) – Lagos-based human right lawyer, Festus Keyamo, has again petitioned the Inspector General of Police, and the Director-General, State Security Services (SSS) to commence a full scale investigation and arrest of Ijaw
warlord, Chief Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo), over alleged threat to his life, abduction of 14 journalists as well as seven Itsekiri youths who were allegedly seized on Sunday by militants loyal to Tompolo.
Keyamo said that if within 72 hours of the receipt of his petition, the IGP and SSS fail to invite , arrest and perhaps prosecute Tompolo for the alleged threat to his life and the
attempted murder of the seven Itsekiri victims and the journalists, he will have no other option than proceed to court to compel the duo to do their duties under the law.
The petition which was also copied President Goodluck Jonathan said the unhealthy romance between
government officials in high places with Tompolo had raised strong suspicion over some criminal dalliance in relation to shady deals.
According to Keyamo, the seven victims , together with some journalists from different media houses went to Ogidigben in Delta State on Sunday, November 16 to get
first-hand coverage of the crisis leading to the cancellation of the commissioning of the EPZ Project by President Jonathan two days earlier.
He recalled that he had earlier raised the alarm last week about the alleged threat by Tompolo in respect of the commissioning of the project by the President, saying “True to the alarm, the President called off the commissioning because of the threat by Tompolo”.
According to him, when leaving the venue of the event, the journalists were joined on the boat by “the seven victims”, three of whom were given a free ride, one was a boat driver and three were from the company that owns the boat.
“On their way from Ogidigben after their assignments, the seven victims and the journalists were stopped in their boats and blocked by more than ten other boats loaded with fierce-looking and armed hooligans around an area called Tebujo, which is also near an area called Oporoza.
“The seven victims and the journalists were then evacuated from their boat into one of the boats of the hooligans. Along the line, Tompolo called and spoke with one of the journalists and he confirmed that he sent the hooligans to accost them and that they should “co-operate” with his boys.
“The seven victims and the journalists were then taken to Tompolo’s house in Oporoza where they were beaten to pulp by Tompolo’s boys. The cameras of the journalists were all seized and the memory cards were removed so that they could not show what they went to cover.
“Unknown to them however, the journalists all had back-ups of their materials in their external hard disks which Tompolo’s boys did not see and seize. It was a near-death experience for all the victims and in particular for
Mr. Tokunbo Oluwaleye who is suffering from internal bleeding and is in a critical condition till today.
“It took the intervention of Naval and Army personnel in the area for the victims and journalists to be rescued from the hands of Tompolo’s boys later that evening.
“Sir, your failure to simply carry out your statutory duties of arrest, investigation and prosecution of Tompolo for his various acts of lawlessness is now a national and an international embarrassment to the Government of President Goodluck Jonathan,” Keyamo said.
According to him, “It is disgusting to all men of normal minds to see a private citizen strutting all over the place, threatening lives, abducting citizens, (perhaps silently killing voiceless persons) and you hide your heads in the sand. Yet, he moves about with nearly a whole platoon of Army and
security personnel that even a serving Governor cannot get. What is going on?
“Recall that I wrote a complaint of the open threat to my life by the same individual nearly two weeks ago, yet you have not even done as little as write me an acknowledgment letter. It is such a shame.
“This unhealthy romance between government officials in high places and this individual raises strong suspicion over, perhaps, some criminal dalliance in relation to shady deals. I am confident that time will tell us better. There is no better way to see this. But I have decided that enough is enough.
“TAKE NOTICE that if within 72 hours of the receipt of this petition you fail, refuse and/or neglect to invite/arrest, investigate and perhaps prosecute Mr. Government Ekpemupolo (alias Tompolo) for the threat to my
life and the attempted murder of these seven victims and the journalists, I will be proceeding to court to compel you to do your duties under the law.
“I would want you to come and tell the court what is tying your hands against Tompolo. The ball is in your court.”
