You need me yet you have treated me unfairly, Tompolo tells Buhari

Government Ekpemupolo, ex-militant leader better known as Tompolo, has written yet another letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, alleging that the current administration has treated him in an unfair manner.

Tompolo, who said this might be the last letter that he will write to the president, claimed that one of the limbs of his 84-year-old father has been amputated as a result of assault from security agents.

The former commander of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) said many of his aides and family members are being regarded as members of the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), and that the military have been going after them.

He alleged that security forces have been conniving with some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to attack him.

“I wish to write your Excellency once again on the continuous harassment and intimidation of my family members and close associates by your security agencies (Nigerian Army, Navy, Department of State Service (DSS), and the Police) in connivance with one Ayiri Emami and Michael Johnny, both members of your party, All Progressives Congress (APC),” the letter read.

“The latest victims of this unwarranted, misdirected and wicked act are Hon. Simeon Bebenimibo, a member of the Delta State Waterway and Land Security Committee and a driver of one of my aides, Mr Ebipade Kari, who was on an errand with a little baby. The baby was thrown away from the vehicle, as the driver was beaten to pulp by your men, as he was asked the whereabouts of his boss. That was not all, the military men stormed the house of one of my younger brothers, and harassed his pregnant wife with guns pointed at her.

“This has led to complications because of the closeness to her full time of delivery. The duo, who were arrested are presently in the custody of the Nigerian Army, Effurun. Before this incident, the Navy went to the apartment of another of my aide, and picked up his heavily pregnant wife as he was out of town, and kept her for 24 hours in the Navy base before releasing her. The mode of operation is that the military command usually decorates associates of Ayiri Emami and Michael Johnny with military uniforms and they go from door to door with a long list of names and addresses of my family members and associates with the intention of arresting them.

“Sadly, one of his lower limbs was amputated two weeks ago. From the doctors report, it will be a thing of miracle if he survives this incident. Is this 84 years old man also a member of the Niger Delta Avengers, that he was brutalised to the point of death? Will your Excellency accept this in good faith if this was done to your father or someone of this age in your family? I have not heard of anyone that was treated like this even in the volatile north-eastern part of the country. I have said it in many occasions that the issue I am having with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will not lead to violence or resort to destruction of pipelines and other oil facilities, because I have a good case.

“I never knew my goodwill and patriotism will lead me to where I am now. I have this burning desire to attract developmental strides to this difficult terrain, as it is the only thing for the people of the Niger Delta, particularly the coastal areas, to continue to have faith in Nigeria as the area has been neglected for so long a time. Your Excellency sir, it is instructive to state that you need me to drive this your change agenda in the Niger Delta region as I am ever passionate to improve the living condition of the people of the region.

“The truth of the matter is that I have been treated unfairly by you sir. After all these hullabaloo about the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko, in which I was accused of some wrong doing, you are yet to send emissaries to Okerenkoko (permanent site) and Kurutie (temporary site) of the University to ascertain the level of things on ground. Your Excellency sir, you are being respected today because of your integrity and sincerity of purpose, therefore you need to consciously investigate the issues surrounding the establishment of the University. If you can send some of your trusted men to visit the sites of the University and request for documents from the Federal Ministries of Transportation and Land and Survey, then you would have succeeded in unravelling the truth behind this University controversy.”