Posted by 9jabook.com on October 4, 2009 at 8:34pm
Government Ekumokpolo Tompolo Surrenders like the thieving/conniving coward he is.
WHAT HAVE THEY ACHIEVED ? except destroying the lives of "innocent" youths and subjecting Women and Children to un
neccesary Violence. they have become Even more corrupt than the system they are trying to overcome .
They have now become tools and lackeys of the government of Go slow.
ASUU is still on strike, Who do they think Yaradua is some sort of Obama ? The Nigeria Delta Crises will continue
with Business as Usual .
Fake Militant Leaders ! At least Saro Wiwa put himself on the line with his life .What does Tompolo and the Rest of
his thieving crew have to say for themselves .No Wonder his names include Governmet as an appendage .
With Weapons you never stood a chance against the JTF .Now how in the world do you think you now stand a CHANCE !
If you had all done your homework properly you would remember that Violence can never solve the problems of a
country like Nigeria.
I assure you that someone like Mahatma Gandhi's Life and times should become part of your Library of people to
read about as you take on this herculean Task of changing President Go,slows mind .
Akin Osunlaja is a Staff Writer for 9jabook.com
Story In-depth
Former militant leader, Government Ekumokpolo (also known as Tompolo) arrived in Warri from Abuja on Sunday
afternoon to a tumultuous reception mounted by Ijaw cultural groups, security officials and stern looking militants
in headbands.
Mr. Ekumokpolo, who was in Abuja on Saturday for a meeting with the Nigerian President, Umaru Yar’Adua, was the
last major militant leader in the Niger Delta to accept the government’s amnesty offer. He had earlier held out by
asking that the programme be extended to allow him meet with his gang and get them to sign to the plan.
The former militant leader arrived in a presidential jet at the Osubi airstrip, Warri, with Defence Minister,
Godwin Abbe, and Special Adviser to the President on the Niger Delta, Timi Alaibe, in tow.
“Today is the greatest day for Nigeria,” Tompolo said as he stepped out to meet his people. “I and my people will
accept the amnesty and we will work with Mr. President to achieve the dreams of this country.”
He was driven away in a convoy of Hummer jeeps to a camp at Oporoza in the creeks for a formal surrendering of
weapons.
Mr. Ekumokpolo handed over rocket launchers, machine guns and explosives to Mr. Abbe at a ceremony in Oporoza.
“It is an act of patriotism that Tompolo and his group surrendered their arms,” Abbe said. “The time has come for
us to settle down and find solutions to what led to the crisis in the region. Today marks the beginning of the
development of the Niger Delta.”
Mr. Abbe also told the militants that he appreciated their courage for embracing the amnesty offer which, he said,
is a panacea to restiveness in the area.
“The amnesty committee will work with the repentant militants to know the cause of their problems with a view to
providing a permanent solution,” he said.
He warned that whoever is caught with illegal weapons, two days after the disarmament exercise, will face the wrath
of the law.
Mr. Abbe said that oil is a gift from God and should be a source of affection and joy and not a source of hostility
and war.
Tompolo boys in Ondo
The laying down of arms was not limited to Tompolo followers in the creeks. His followers in Ondo also laid down
arms at Arogbo town, in Ese-Odo Local Council.
The militants, who were led by Tompolo’s aides, Biobapre Ajube and Omoh Tonwerie, led other members of the group to
surrender their arms and ammunition in large numbers. The two men, while speaking during the disarmament ceremony,
said they acted in conformity with the directive of their warlord who met with the president on Saturday.
The militant leaders, who appealed to the president to fulfil his promise to alleviate the suffering of the people
in the area, said they took to arms in the creeks in order to fight for their rights.
The Ondo State governor, Olusegun Mimiko, said the heap of arms and ammunition he was looking at afforded him the
opportunity to know the challenges of people in the area. He promised to collaborate with the government to
rehabilitate the militants and bring development to the area.
Bakassi boys included
Other militant grous also gave up arms yesterday in Cross River State. The Bakassi Freedom Fighters (BFF) and
Bakassi Salvation Front (BSF) surrendered their weapons as a follow up to the cache of arms turned in at Bakassi
Local Council early last week.
Sunday’s submission by the “creek boys” to the Presidential Committee on Amnesty include six AK-47 rifles, one FM
rifle, 55 live ammunition and eight magazines.
During the first phase of disarmament, the two groups surrendered six AK-47 rifles, one General Purpose Machine Gun
(GPMG), one Rocket Propelled Machine Gun (RPMG), one FM rifle, G3 rifles, rifle rafts, dynamites, grenades, G.
crane machine guns, one Brandi Machine gun and nine 620 assorted live ammunitions.
At a hotel in Bakassi yesterday, the second batch of weapons was surrendered by the leaders of the two groups,
“General” Franklin Duduku (BFF) and “Brigadier” Dan Don Atikpee (BSF).
Mr. Atikpee said the October 4, 2009, mop-up exercise was the final phase of their disarmament and surrendering of
all weapons at their disposal to government.
“Today, we have surrendered all our weapons as a mark of total acceptance and commitment to the presidential
amnesty,” he said.
He appealed to the government to map out adequate rehabilitation programme for the boys to give them a sense of
belonging in Nigeria.
Culled and Adapted from Next
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