Coalition of militant groups in the Niger Delta region led by the Supreme Egbesu Freedom Fighters have accepted the decision of High Chief Government Ekpemupolo also known as Tompolo to set up a substantive board for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and call off the planned attacks against oil installations and facilities in the region.
The militant groups said the decision to accept the decision of Tompolo after a stakeholders meeting at Oporoza, in Delta State, is based on his years of integrity, steadfastness, courage, fearlessness and the dogged spirit for not deviating in standing with the harmless, neglected and long suffering people of the Niger Delta region most especially those in the oil and gas producing communities.
The Commanding Officer of the coalition of militant groups, Major Gen Agadagba 1(aka Thunderstorm) said in a statement that the decision to halt planned attacks against oil installations does not preclude the directive to all strike force unit commanders to be on standby in case the Federal Government fails to fulfill their part of the accord reached at the stakeholders meeting between the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio at Oporoza.
In the statement made available via electronic mail, the group stated that “after due consultation and plea from all well-meaning stakeholders including traditional rulers and the intervention of the Ijaw National Congress(INC) President, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, the coalition of militant groups have decided to accept the decision of revered High Chief Government Ekpemupolo also known as Tompolo and on our part we have also stepped down the planned attacks on all oil flow stations which will bring down the crude oil production to zero.
“We are however on red alert through our strike forces and unit commanders and still standing firm with the President of the Ijaw Youths Council(IYC), Comrade Timothy Igbifa. And we are still on red alert mode according to our high commando Strike Force Unit directive before the end of this month until the substansive NDDC board is inaugurated before there will be total peace and stay off from our ultimatum declared so far.
“For now, all actions have been step down a little bit but all our strike force units are still placed on red alert in most strategic locations of oil flow stations until we see the needed result as promised by Godswill Akpabio and the federal government agreement concord reached by the various stakeholders headed by the delegation of the Deputy Governor of Delta State, Kingsley Otuaro with the leadership of INC, traditional rulers and other stakeholders.
“We also want to use this medium to commend and salute Tompolo for his steadfastness, focused mind, his sincerity for standing firm and upright at all times without disappointing them and for speaking out and sticking his life and his family with the entire Gbaramatu Kingdom despite threats.
“We want to say that you have done well and you have become our second living Ijaw National Hero, after Isaac Jasper Adaka Boro of blessed memory. And we want to state categorically that the reason the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio has become inconsistent in his talks and playing pranks with the other ethnic nationalities was because men like Tompolo were initially silent giving him the opportunity to redeem himself.
“It must be noted that he has failed to honor the agreement reached with stakeholders that gathered at the palace of King Tom Ateke, one of the ex-militant leaders now the king of Okochiri in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State on the 16th of January 2021(five months ago).
“At this point in time we all have come to be acquainted with the Akpabio diversive tendencies of tricks of fooling the entire region.”
