From PRINCE MONDAY WHISKEY, Regional Editor, South South
Fear and apprehension has gripped relations and close friends of the former leader of the dreaded Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo A.K.A Tompolo as no fewer than four members of the family have reportedly been arrested in the past three days.
National President of the fearless Ijaw People Development Initiative (IPDI) Comrade Austin Ozobo who raised the alarm in an email entitled Stop Arresting Innocent Tompolo Family Members and ex-agitators said such arrest is not only unconstitutional but against the fundamental human rights of the victims
According to Comrade Austin Ozobo we already have two names of arrested family members which includes Andrew Oguma and Fezigha Odu while efforts are been made to get the names of the other people so far arrested without justification
The group said the assumption by the security agencies that every member of Tompolo’s family, his friends and Ijaw people are militants who must be humiliated is not only dangerous but certainly a big threat to the peaceful co-existence of the Nigeria States.
While affirming that the Ijaw people do not have regret of being created by God and blessed with the black gold that has today become a curse instead of blessing, he warned all those called betrayers of the Ijaw race who are piloting security personnel and pointing at perceived Tompolo relations to desist forthwith as Ijaw nation is carefully watching their activities.
In the words of Comrade Ozobo “those who are taking soldiers from house to house, village to village and town to town should know the cultural implications of their ungodly activities and should be afraid of the consequence of their actions and inactions
Efforts by National Daily to get the commander of the Joint Task Force (JTF) also known as Operation Pulio Shield to confirm the arrests were unsuccessful as his phone was off even at the time of going to press.