GROUP HAILS TOMPOLO ON HIS VICTORY AT FEDERAL HIGH COURT
*** WANTS FG TO COLLABORATE WITH TOMPOLO IN THE AREA OF PEACE, OTHERS
THE Niger Delta Indigenous Movement For Radical Change (NDIMRC), has hailed former Niger Delta warlord, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, aka Tompolo on his victory at the Federal High Court, Lagos with a call on the Federal Government to collaborate with the former militant leader in the area of securing permanent peace in the oil rich Niger Delta Region.
The Federal High Court in Lagos had last 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.
Tompolo was initially joined as the first defendant in the case, but following his refusal to answer repeated court summonses, Mr Festus Keyamo (SAN), who handled the case for the EFCC, had to apply to the court that Tompolo’s name be removed from the charge sheet.
In a ruling last 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.
Reacting to the Federal High Court judgement at the weekend, the Group in a Press Statement signed by its President, Nelly Emma; Secretary, John Sailor and Public Relations Officer (PRO), Stanley Mukoro, hailed the Judgement and felicitated with Tompolo, describing him as innocent and a man of peace.
According to the group; “We want to say that we are very happy over the judgement of the Federal High Court, Lagos for dismissing the entire 40 counts levelled against a peace advocate in the Niger Delta Region, Chief Government Ekpemupolo”.
They added that; “This case has dragged on for a while now and we are so happy that freedom has come to him at last. Chief Government Ekpemupolo is a very peaceful person and his contributions to the advancement of the Niger Delta Region cannot be over emphasized”.
“We want to Congratulate him for the victory at the Federal High Court, Lagos and to implore him to continue with his good work for the people of the Niger Delta Region in particular and Nigerians in general. The Judgement of the Federal High Court, Lagos is a welcome development and the victory being celebrated across the entire Niger Delta Region as a result of the judgement is a victory for all. We are very glad that it ended in praise and we give God the glory”, they wrote.
While calling on the Federal Government on the need to embark on massive development of the region, the Group said that; “The people of the Niger Delta Region will continue to remain grateful to Chief Government Ekpemupolo, a wonderful son of the Niger Delta Region for drawing the attention of the Federal Government to the neglect of the area. Let the Federal Government give the people a sense of belonging by addressing the issues affecting the entire region”.
According to the group also, through the help of Chief Government Ekpemupolo, militants in the region have embraced peace and implored the Federal Government to reciprocate the gesture by developing the region.
The Group therefore urged the Federal Government to collaborate with Chief Government Ekpemupolo in the area of securing permanent peace in the Niger Delta Region, protection of critical oil and gas infrastructure, eradication of oil bunkering and increased generation of internal revenue especially in the Maritime sector.