Ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, Sunday, said he had no apology to offer to the Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, a new militant group, which, last Tuesday, issued him a three-day ultimatum to act contrite for allegedly denunciation of the group and its violent activities.
The Ijaw Youth Council, IYC, apex Ijaw youth organization, in a statement by its spokesperson, Mr. Eric Omare, threw its weight behind Tompolo. It maintained that the militant group should not force him to support their destructive mission, just as the Centre for the Peace and Environmental Justice, CEPEJ, and Ijaw Peoples Development Initiative, IPDI, condemned the resort to violence by Niger Delta Avengers.
However, Itsekiri and Ijaw leaders, Chief Ayiri Emami and Johnny Michael, who spoke to newsmen on phone, fingered an ex-militant leader for the bombings, saying the militant group was acting his script.
Tompolo, who also spoke through his Media Adviser and Consultant, Mr. Paul Bebenimibo: “He (Tompolo) will not apologize to them (Niger Delta Avengers). “If not for his present issues with the Federal Government, he (Tompolo) would have gone after them and exposed them because they seem to make things difficult for him, as the government is pointing fingers at him, but he cannot do anything in his present situation,” Bebenimibo said.
He mentioned two prominent Itsekiri and Ijaw activists, both stalwarts of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Delta state, who he said, “are only looking for attention from the government, so they use the happenings to seek relevance from the government, they may be behind these guys.”
The militant group in a statement by its spokesperson, Col. Mudoch Agbinibo, May 3, took umbrage at Tompolo’s green light to servicing companies to go about their normal operations, particularly repair of the Forcados Terminal 48-inch pipeline.
It declared: “We hereby give you a three- day ultimatum to apologize to Niger Delta Avengers in the same national dailies as anything other than that will mean that we shall bring the war to your doorstep by blowing up all oil installations within your backyard (Gbaramatu Kingdom).”
The group alleged that the former General Officer Commanding, GOC, Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, had “taken side with the Federal government to fight the Niger Delta people.” Two days after the ultimatum, the militant group on Thursday, May 5, bombed the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC crude and gas lines and Well D25 in Abiteye, a key gas well operated by Chevron Nigeria Limited, CNL.
In a statement after the twin attacks, its spokesperson, Col Agbinibo asserted: “To keep to our promise, the three (3) days ultimatum given to Chief Government Ekpemupolo has elapsed and he fail to apologize to the Niger Delta Avengers, at 2200hours, Thursday, May 5, 2016, our strike team 4 hit the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) crude and gas lines.” “The Crude line feeds the Warri and Kaduna refineries respectively, while the gas line feeds the Lagos and Abuja electricity power supply.
With this development, the Warri and Kaduna refineries will be sh”ut down and all cities that depend on the gas line for power will all be in total darkness like the creeks of the Niger Delta. “In same vein, the Niger Delta Avengers strike team 7 at same time 2200hours, Thursday, May 5, 2016, blew up Well D25 in Abiteye. A major gas well belonging to Chevron and also blow up major pipe lines to effectively put the Abiteye, Alero, Dibi, Otunana and Makaraba flow stations that feed the Chevron tank farm out of operation.
As at now, Chevron operation in the Niger Delta is zero,” he said. The militant group boasted: “Located some 100meters away from the blasted Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) pipeline is a military houseboat stationed there to protect the oil pipelines. But, we want you public to know that despite the heavy present of military operatives our activities can’t be stop and it just waste of fund and time to let the Nigeria military protect oil installations.” Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Buhari seems weaker than Jonathan, wht a shame
ReplyDeleteTHE NIGER DELTA AVENGERS ARE ON A SEEK & DESTROY MISSION TO CRIPPLE NIGERIA ECONOMY...MR BUHARI SHOULD NOT APPLY FIRE FOR FIRE MEASURES AGAINST THIS BOYS, RATHER HE SHOULD CALL THIS BOYS TO A MEETING AND PET THEM..I REPEAT PET THEM WITH GIFTS LIKE LATE PRESIDENT YAR ADUA DID..
ReplyDeleteYOU CAN ONLY BAIT OR TRAP A FISH IN THE OCEAN BUT U CANNOT FIGHT OR PURSUE A FISH IN THE OCEAN..THE AVENGERS MEAN BUSINESS AND BETTER ORGANIZED, I LEARNT THEY ARE STILL RECRUITING CULT BOYS IN ALL TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN SOUTH EAST..
BUHARI ADVISERS BEWARE!!! BUHARI IS OVER 90YRS OLD AND HIS BRAIN IS A VEGETABLE ALREADY...BUT I PITY HIM BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE CLOSE TO HIM WILL ADVISE HIM WRONGLY...
THE NIGER DELTA AVENGERS ARE ON A SEEK & DESTROY MISSION TO CRIPPLE NIGERIA ECONOMY...MR BUHARI SHOULD NOT APPLY FIRE FOR FIRE MEASURES AGAINST THIS BOYS, RATHER HE SHOULD CALL THIS BOYS TO A MEETING AND PET THEM..I REPEAT PET THEM WITH GIFTS LIKE LATE PRESIDENT YAR ADUA DID..
ReplyDeleteYOU CAN ONLY BAIT OR TRAP A FISH IN THE OCEAN BUT U CANNOT FIGHT OR PURSUE A FISH IN THE OCEAN..THE AVENGERS MEAN BUSINESS AND BETTER ORGANIZED, I LEARNT THEY ARE STILL RECRUITING CULT BOYS IN ALL TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS IN SOUTH EAST..
BUHARI ADVISERS BEWARE!!! BUHARI IS OVER 90YRS OLD AND HIS BRAIN IS A VEGETABLE ALREADY...BUT I PITY HIM BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE CLOSE TO HIM WILL ADVISE HIM WRONGLY...
Na wa oo...
ReplyDeleteWe have tried the amnesty option.They need to be shot on sight.Sentenced to death when caught.we should let them kn t penalty for their actions.I recommend the same penalty for the cow helders,kidnappers etc.Nigeria must not appear to reward criminals,it strengthens them and help them with recruitment.The amnesty was a mistake.The oil belongs to nigeria just like the highest vat tax comes from lagos,palm oil from the southeast,groudnut from the north etc,they all belong to nigeria.They get allocations just like other state.They get the most allocation but yet their leaders plundered the resources of their state,but they want to blame the government.The last president was from their region but yet,he was the worst thing that ever happened to that region.Lets not put tribal sentiments into this and look for a way forward.Donald duke is one of the best presidential material over there and yet the like of gej became the president.When u ppl seats down there thinking it is a tribal thing,this ppl are there sharing money with the tribes u call rivals.Jonathan shared money with ppl from the north,north central,south east and southwest.When they steal the money,they don't steal it for their tribes,state or even village,they stole it for their family.Wake up my ppl n see the light.jonathan is rich and lives in a mansion while u are in mosquitoe infested creeks.asari,clarkn tompolo etc all have mega mansions in abuja,but you ppl are d one on ground suffering.Gone are d days of sir saro wiwa,who talks d talk n walk d walk.
ReplyDeleteKill them the way you kill boko haram.
ReplyDeleteNiger Delta Avengers or any other so called freedom fighters. You are not fighting for the progress of Niger Delta. You are fighting for your stomach. Stop hiding under the cover of Niger Delta. I am from Niger Delta. I don’t support evil. The problem of underdevelopment of Niger Delta is not from Federal government it's from the leaders of Niger Delta who manage the commissions meant to develop Niger Delta and allocations that go to Niger Delta states. Today we have NDDC, Ministry of Niger Delta, highest allocation of Federal revenues to Niger Delta States. Communities development programme from multinationals....etc. What are the leaders of these groups done with these funds. Direct your grievances to your leaders. Tell them to account for the funds meant for the development of Niger Delta if truly you are fighting for Niger Delta. Our problem is not from Federal government it's from within ourselves. Direct your grievances aright. Federal government have provided the funds to us, how do we manage the funds. We had a President from Niger Delta what did we achieve? Ask yourselves sensible questions when you figure out the answers then you would know how to react else you are carrying out devilish assignment. To kill, still and destroy.
ReplyDelete