Ask EFCC to leave Tompolo alone, ex-militants beg Buhari

WARRI — FORMER Niger Delta militants, weekend, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to prevail on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to leave ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, alone and follow the rule of law in its dealings with him. The erstwhile agitators, who met under the auspices of the Transformed Niger Delta Ex-militants Forum, asserted that some persons, who were envious of Tompolo, wrote a petition against him to the EFCC, but advised that the commission in the discharge of its duties should respect the rule of law.

In a communiqué signed by its national president, Meshach Bebenimibo and others, they said, “We appeal to the President as a matter of urgency to instruct the EFCC to follow due process within 1999 Constitution as amended.” At the meeting held in Warri were Prince Bebenimibo, Bayelsa , Edo, Cross River, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Ondo coordinators of the group, Peter Ayeebide, Austin Peremobowei, Korebor Minama, Anthony Youbai, Oluwah Michael and Oloye Tamarayende.

They said: “We want EFCC to leave Tompolo alone because the petitioners are acting out of jealousy to indict and incarcerate him, that is why they are lying to the whole world that Tompolo sold the land for the building of Nigerian Maritime University, NMU, Okerenkoko.”

According to the communiqué, “The petitioners know the truth and the truth is that Tompolo only sold the International Diving Institute buildings at Kurutie community and the place was sand filled before he built the school. Among the structures are lecture halls, multipurpose pavilion, administrative block, vice- chancellor’s lodge and hostels for male and female students.”

“The previous government brought valuers and did all necessary legal things and collected VAT money before paying him about 90 per cent as agreed.

“We also urge EFCC to have a rethink and defreeze Mieka and GlobalWest accounts.” The group, however, commended President Buhari for his interest in the region, particularly the inclusion of fund for the Amnesty programme in the 2016 Budget presented to the National Assembly, saying, “We really appreciate your kind gesture.”

Ask EFCC to leave Tompolo alone, ex-militants beg Buhari

Clark was part of rot in Jonathan"s administration - Ex-militant

ASABA – EX-MILITANTS under the auspices of Niger Delta Liberation Force, NDLF, Thursday, took a swipe at former Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Edwin Clark, who, Wednesday, deserted the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and accused ex-President Goodluck Jonathan of lacking the political will to fight corruption, saying the elder statesman should shut up.

Edwin Clark

Spokesman of the group, “Captain” Mark Anthony, in a statement, said, “Chief Edwin Clark has no moral justification to condemn former President Goodluck Jonathan by saying that GEJ lacked political will to fight corruption. We are surprised at the unguarded comments from a man who called himself elder statesman.”

“Clark was part of the rot in GEJ administration, he should keep quiet and allow other Nigerians to judge GEJ stewardship.

“We see Clark’s statement against GEJ as the height of betrayal and backstabbing to find favour with the current administration. President Muhammadu Buhari should be warned to be distant himself from persons like Clark if he wants to end well,” the group said.

It added, “We support the ongoing anti-graft war and urge Buhari to extend the searchlight to people like Clark, who are fabulously rich rich. EFCC should track the various bank accounts of Clark and others, who do not hold formal government offices and known open businesses, but are stupendously wealthy”

“We urge Buhari to be impartial in his anti-graft war to bring all looters to book to create a new hope for the future generation of Nigeria,” NDLF asserted.

Clark was part of rot in Jonathan"s administration - Ex-militant

Ex-militants barricade E-West Road

Yenagoa—Protesting ex-militants, yesterday, barricaded the Mbiama axis of the East-West Road over alleged non-payment of their allowances by the amnesty office.

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The protesters, led by the Bayelsa State Third Phase Amnesty chairman, Ebi John, trooped to the road as early as 7a.m., and blocked the road, obstructing free flow of traffic.

Motorists and travellers plying the route were stranded as the protesters chanted war songs demanding the payment of their allowances without further delay.

But military patrol vans and two Armoured Personnel Carriers, APCs, driven by soldiers were said to have swooped on the youths.

The soldiers were said to have shot into the air many times to dislodge the youths from the road.

John accused the amnesty office of insensitivity, adding that the office and the Accountant-General were deliberately delaying their allowances.

He said they earlier went to Abuja to lodge the same complaint but the Amnesty office unleashed terror on them using soldiers.

 

Ex-militants barricade E-West Road

Ignore calls to scrap amnesty programme, ex-militants tell Buhari

Former Niger Delta militants have called on the President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, and the leadership of the All Progressives Congress to ignore calls by some mischief makers to scrap the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

The ex-militants, under the aegis of Leadership, Peace and Cultural Development Initiative, said this in apparent reaction to calls by prominent businessman in the region, Mr. Ayiri Emami, and others questioning the rationale for sustenance of the programme.

The former agitators, in a statement on Wednesday, maintained that the call was in bad faith and utterly misguided.

The National President of the body, Pastor Reuben Wilson, described Emami’s call on Buhari to scrap the amnesty programme as one which was premised on his “pathological hatred for the Ijaw nationality.”

He stressed that it was also based on his misconceived idea that the Ijaws were the major beneficiaries of the amnesty programme, but argued that the programme was for all Niger Delta ex-militants.

Wilson said, “The amnesty is for all ex-freedom fighters, and if the Ijaws are in the majority, it then means they were more actively involved than any other tribe in the Niger Delta liberation struggle.

“Moreover, the Ijaws are in the majority in the region and the fourth largest ethnic nationality in Nigeria. Therefore, it is natural for the Ijaws to dominate the Presidential Amnesty Programme for ex-militants in the Niger Delta, owing to their population and active involvement in the Niger Delta struggle.”

He maintained that the only panacea for sustaining the current stability and peace in the Niger Delta was the continuation of the amnesty programme, adding that any attempt to stop it would lead to unimaginable catastrophe.

He added, “The Amnesty Programme currently has several thousands of Niger Deltan youths undergoing academic studies and skills acquisition programmes abroad. If it is scrapped, how will they complete their studies and skill acquisition programmes?

“What will be the fate of those waiting for their turn to undergo such skill acquisition programmes and studies?

“It is sheer wickedness and ignorance that will make anybody call for the scrapping of the programme. It was established by late President Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua as a bargain to secure stability and peace in the Niger Delta.

“We, the ex-militants, have done our part by turning in our arms, ammunition and stopping our militant activities, and the Federal Government has not completely fulfilled its own part of the bargain.

“It is therefore reckless and mischievous for anybody to call for the scrapping of the programme at this point in time.”

 

Ignore calls to scrap amnesty programme, ex-militants tell Buhari

FG contract tears ex-militant, state government apart in Bayelsa

Militants from Bayelsa State, under the aegis of Mangrove Boys of Bayelsa, have flayed some ex-militant leaders for attempting to “corner the state’s share” of the multi-billion Naira pipeline surveillance contracts.

The MBB particularly warned Victor Ebikabowei (Boyloaf), Eris Paul (Ogunboss) and Pastor Reuben against causing violence in the state.

The pipeline surveillance contract awarded by the Federal Government to Bayelsa has been causing furore between some ex-militants and the state government.

Last week, some ex-militants staged a protest against Governor Seriake Dickson for allegedly trying to hijack the surveillance job.

During the protest, the ex-militants clashed with the police leading to nine persons being injured and many vehicles, including a police truck, destroyed.

MBB said on Monday that it would no longer fold its hands and watch a few individuals from Southern Ijaw Local Government Area continue to hijack and selfishly enrich themselves with the commonwealth of the youths.

The group said, “The pipeline surveillance job is not their birthright. All the militant leaders disturbing the peace of Bayelsa and trying to hijack the contract through their company, Bajero, are just from one local government area which is Southern Ijaw.

“They do not represent the interests of all of us in the entire state. As formidable freedom fighters, we will not allow these leaders to cheat us again because the contract is meant for our rural communities.”

MBB in a statement signed by its Secretary, Mr. Victor Adere, said it would resist further violent demonstrations in the state by ex-militants and their leaders.

Adere flayed the ex-militants for the last Friday protest which led to the destruction of public property and shooting of guns on the streets of Yenagoa describing their actions as criminal and unlawful.

He alleged that the ex-militants held series of meetings with some officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation where they vowed to create confusion and anarchy in the state in an exchange for dollars.

Adere also accused the ex-militants of collecting cash and contracts from the Niger Delta Development Commission, an agency he said had yet to inaugurate a project in Bayelsa, to fight the leadership of the state.

“These so-called militant leaders in Bayelsa State were paid huge sums of money from the Amnesty Office, Abuja monthly to be paid to their followers but they failed in that process which obviously make their followers to go on the rampage blocking the East-West Road on many occasions,” he said.

Adere added that the MBB was fully in support of the state Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, for his efforts in ensuring that the state-owned Izon Ibe Security Company execute the contract for the benefit of everybody in the state.

 

FG contract tears ex-militant, state government apart in Bayelsa