Military arrests Tompolo associates

The Federal Government maybe inching closer to getting ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, popularly called Tompolo, as two of his known associates have been arrested by the military.

According to reports, Simon Bebenimibo and Bomboy Oluba were arrested on Monday in an operation carried out by troops. They were reportedly arrested at their hideout at about 11am.

According to sources in the security services, the operation was in continuation of efforts at apprehending the leaders of the rampaging Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, who have been blowing up oil installations in the oil rich Niger Delta and practically crippling the nation’s economy.

The arrest of the two associates was said to have been effected after a careful planning and a period of trailing the suspects.

A security source said: “We stormed the hideout after intelligence revealed their abode. We have been on their trail for a while now but executed their arrests on Monday.”

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The arrest has however drawn the anger of groups in the Niger Delta, as the Ijaw Youths Council, IYC and the Ijaw Peoples Development Initiative, IPDI, have condemned the way and manner the arrests were carried out.

While confirming the arrest, IYC spokesman, Eric Omare said he was informed that the suspects were still being detained. While the IPDI spokesman, Daniel Ezekiel, castigated the military for allegedly breaking into a member’s home through the roof and arresting him without a court warrant.

“We condemn the military action of breaking through the roof of Simeon Bebenimibo to gain unauthorised access into his privacy without a court warrant to arrest him, as such amount to kidnapping and abduction.

”This is barbaric, obnoxious, unlawful and incivility. The military has no such powers except empowered by a valid court warrant. It is so sad and we are disappointed”, he said in a terse statement.

It would be recalled that Tompolo have been variously fingered at the man behind the Avengers by proxy though he has vehemently denied any involvement, going to the extent of denouncing the NDA and what they stand for.

The NDA, on their part, confirmed that they have nothing to do with him and actually threatened to attack his Gbaramatu area of Delta State. The threat was eventually carried by the NDA.

However, a twist was added to the gale of denials when the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, Tompolo’s flagship group, gave the FG conditions for peace that essentially re-echoed the stand of the Avengers.

By Timothy Enietan-Matthews

 

 

 

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