Niger Delta peace process threatened by recent death of Tompolo's father

GOVERNMENT plans to end the ongoing militancy in the Niger Delta appears to have suffered a major setback as the death of the father of militant leader Government Ekpemupolo popularly known as Tompolo threatens to derail the process.

 

Over the last year, militancy has returned to the Niger Delta with a vengeance, with armed groups taking up weapons and blowing up oil installations. Matters have not been helped by the issuing of an arrest warrant for Tompolo, which led to armed troops storming his village, where they allegedly manhandled his father.

 

Chief Thomas Ekpemupolo, Tompolo's father, has now passed away and it is feared this might reverse the little recent gains of the peace process and lead to the resumption of hostilities. Many of the militants are said to be holding the military liable for the incident, claiming that Chief Ekpemupolo died from injuries sustained during his ordeal with the Nigerian Army.

 

Over recent weeks, the government has made some progress with its plans to engage local communities and some of the militants had agreed to lay down their arms and embrace dialogue. Although security sources said Tompolo had links to the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) which had claimed responsibilities for the attacks on oil and gas installations, which incidentally began shortly after corruption charges were brought against him, he has persistently denied any involvement with them.

 

His father, Chief Ekpemupolo, in his 80s, had fallen while fleeing an army raid on his hometown in May and injured his leg, which had to be amputated two months later. He then died last week from complications arising from the amputation and the NDA militants are said to be agitated by this.

 

Frank Ekpemupolo, one of his other son's said: “In a nutshell, the government caused the death of my father.”

 

Earlier this week, about 400 mourners gathered in Warri to pay tribute to Chief Ekpemupolo. Following the launch of the military operation in the Niger Delta, local leaders, including community chiefs, politicians and villagers, have accused troops of harassing people in the fishing communities dotted along the region’s waterways.

 

However, the military denies it, saying troops are merely searching for militants and criminals. Several new militant groups have sprung up over the last few weeks, each with its own demands and some have vowed to launch a new wave of attacks.

 

Community leaders say they are concerned that the government has not contacted militants or unveiled a negotiation team, three weeks after the NDA said they were ready for the promised talks. Eric Omare, spokesman for the Ijaw Youth Council, said statements by President Muhammadu Buhari that militants would be treated like Boko Haram jihadists prompted fears that the offer of talks was a ruse to prepare for a military onslaught.