A renowned son of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State, Chief (Engr.) George Timiyan has hailed the judgement given in favour of former Niger Delta militant leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, aka Tompolo by the Federal High Court, Lagos.
The Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday dismissed the entire 40 counts bordering on alleged N34bn fraud filed by the Federal Government against Global West Vessel Specialist Limited, a company linked to a former Niger Delta militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo.
In a ruling on Wednesday on the defendants’ no-case submission, Justice Ibrahim Buba, pronounced that the prosecution “failed to establish a prima facie case” against the defendants.
He, therefore, dismissed the entire 40 counts filed against the defendants by the EFCC, through Keyamo, and set them free.
In his reaction on Thursday in Warri, Delta State, Chief Timiyan who is also a leader of the professional body “Izon Ibe Welders and Fitters” in the State said that he was excited about the Federal High Court Judgement, saying that Tompolo remained a force to be reckoned with in the entire Niger Delta Region.
“I must say that I received the news of the judgement given in favour of Tompolo by the Federal High Court, Lagos with gladness. Here is a man who put his life on the line in the struggle for the emancipation of the people of the Niger Delta. He is not after wealth, but only interested in the development of the Niger Delta Region and it’s people and for him to have been treated the way he was subjected to in the last few years was not good enough, but we are so happy that he has been given a clean bill of health with the Federal High Court judgement”, he said.
While felicitating with Tompolo on his victory at the Federal High Court, Lagos, Chief Timiyan implored the Federal Government to address the vexed issues of the total neglect of the Region.
In his words; “I want to heartily congratulate an illustrious son of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Chief Government Ekpemupolo on his victory at the Federal High Court, Lagos. It is well deserved victory and we are excited about it. I want to use this opportunity to urge the Federal Government to pay special attention to the development of the entire Niger Delta Region of which Tompolo has been agitating for. We need a better deal in the oil rich Niger Delta in order for the prevailing peace in the Region to be sustained. Let the promises of the Federal Government to the people of the region be fulfilled”.
