WARRI—THERE are indications that royal fathers in the Niger Delta may intervene to broker a soft landing with the Federal Government for ex-militant leader, Chief Governemnt Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, over his face-off with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over alleged financial dealings.
Things worsened for Tompolo, Monday, when a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos renewed a bench warrant for his arrest and ordered the nation’s security agencies to produce him on February 19, despite the efforts of his solicitor to vacate the order.
A dependable source privy to the move told Vanguard: “Ijaw royal fathers have met on the matter and decided to reach out to royal fathers in the Niger Delta and other parts of the country to join forces to meet with the Federal Government and find a political solution to the impasse.
“The royal fathers are not saying that Tompolo is above the law, they know it is not easy for anybody, including them to produce Tompolo and the use of force as directed by the court will only complicate matters, and so, they think wisdom should be applied.
“Tompolo had said he would appear in court, but there are some processes, which his lawyers are working on. But if care is not taken, more harm could be caused the nation in an attempt to disregard some fundamental issues, which are what the royal fathers want to discuss.”
A resident of Opudebubor, a riverine community in Warri South West Local Government Area, Delta State, said, yesterday, “There is calm, the security agents are not harassing anybody, we do not know the whereabouts of Tompolo, but people are waiting and watching with their hearts in their mouths.”
Meanwhile, the Ijaw Peoples Development Initiative, IPDI, has urged the Federal Government to leave the ex-militant leader alone, saying, “Tompolo is a precious asset to the Niger Delta region and we will hold the government responsible if anything happens to him.”
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