My father brutalized, leg amputated, Tompolo cries out
Tompolo, said yesterday, that his family and associates
were under siege by security agents, who allegedly treated
roughly his 84-year-old father, in Kurutie community,
Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government,
resulting in the amputation of his lower limbs, two weeks
ago.
Tompolo, in an open letter to President Muhammadu
Buhari, which he indicated might be his last, said the
continuous harassment and intimidation was getting out of
hand, and he does not deserve it.
He said after the military invaded Kurutie and brutalized his
father, sympathizers managed to rescue him to Warri, where
the hospital admitted him.
“Sadly, one of his lower limbs was amputated two weeks
ago. From the doctor’s report, it will be a thing of miracle if
he survives this incident. Is this 84- year- old man also a
member of the Niger Delta Avengers that they brutalized to
the point of death,?” he asked.
He alleged that the harassment and intimidation was carried
out by the Nigeria Army, Navy and Department of State
Services, DSS, in connivance with two chieftains of the All
Progressives Congress, APC, in Delta State, Chief Ayiri
Emami and Chief Michael Johnny.
“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,” he
maintained.
Ayiri, Johnny debunk Tompolo’s claim
Contacted yesterday, Chief Emami dismissed the allegation
by Tompolo, saying he was not behind his ordeal.
He asserted: “If the security agencies are doing their job, I
support them, I owe Tompolo no apology. All I know is that
they are causing damage to the country with the bombing of
pipelines and if they want the security agencies to stop
disturbing them, they should stop blowing up pipelines.”
“To me, the security agencies are not even doing enough to
stop the pipeline bombings, they should get to the root of the
matter and stop the perpetrators,” he added.
Chief Johnny, who spoke to Saturday Vanguard on phone
denied that he was responsible for the arrest of any person
by the security agencies. He also said it was not true that he
threatened the secretary of the Ijaw People Deve-lopment
Initiative, IPDI, Daniel Ezekiel on phone for allegedly
revealing the names of informants that led soldiers to arrest
a Tompolo associate, Monday, in Warri.
They harassed pregnant woman with gun
Tompolo, who also dismissed their denial, continued: “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 out from the vehicle, as the driver
was beaten up 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.
“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, 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
camo-uflages associates of two APC leaders 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,” he said.
He asserted: “Your Excellency Sir, it could be recalled that
this was how the military went to Oporoza town on
Saturday, May 28, 2016, at about 2.00 am, and held the
community hostage for one week. During that midnight
invasion, the military carted away valuables worth several
millions of naira, desecrated worship centres and took away
the symbol of authority of the Gbaramatu people from the
Egbesu shrine.”
Is this because I supported Jonathan?
Tompolo stated: “Your Excellency Sir, I have been
wondering since the beginning of my travails at your
instance whether this is part of the fight against corruption
in Nigeria? Or was it because I supported my kinsman,
former President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 general
elections? I thought everyone in Nigeria has the liberty to
support whomever he or she deemed fit in an election.”
“And as Dr Jonathan bravely accepted the outcome of the
election, which brought you in as President of Nigeria today,
I thought you will heal wounds as the father of the nation.
In addition, it was on this premise that I visited you
immediately after your swearing-in ceremony to pledge my
loyalty and readiness to work with your administration.H