Human rights lawyer, Festus Kayamo has issued a 72 hours ultimatum to the Director of State Security Service and the Inspector General of Police to urgently investigate former Niger Delta militant, Government Tompolo over an alleged threat to his (Keyamo) life and the recent kidnap and attempted murder of 7 young men and some journalists investigating the crises leading to the cancellation of the commissioning of the EPZ Project by President Jonathan two days earlier.
According to Keyamo, he will proceed to court in defence of those assaulted and harassed by Tompolo’s boys who were against any form of investigation in the area.
Below is a copy of the letter:
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
1. The Director-General, State Security Services, State Security Services Headquarters, Abuja.
2. The Inspector-General of Police, Force Headquarters, Louis Edet House, Abuja.
Dear Sirs,
FURTHER ACTS OF TERROR (KIDNAPPING, TORTURE AND ATTEMPTED MURDER) BY GOVERNMENT EKPEMUPOLO (TOMPOLO) IN DELTA STATE: FINAL ULTIMATUM
We have been briefed by the family members and friends of the following persons who were kidnapped, tortured and nearly killed (along with some journalists) by the hirelings of one Government Ekpemupolo (alias Tompolo) on Sunday, November 16, 2014, in Delta State: 1.) Mr. Eyengho B. Samuel 2.) Tokunbor Oluwaleye 3.) Kelvin Tuduo 4.) Ekpen 5.) Edema Eburajolor 6.) Otos Lemun and 7.) Dolor Emmanuel
The facts are that the aforementioned boys (hereinafter referred to as “the seven escorts”), together with some journalists from different media houses went to Ogidingben in Delta State on Sunday, November 16, 2014, to get first-hand coverage of the crises leading to the cancellation of the commissioning of the EPZ Project by President Jonathan two days earlier. The journalists were escorted to the venue by the seven escorts since they are indigenes who are familiar with the terrain.
On their way from Ogidingben after their assignments, the seven escorts and the journalists were stopped in their boats and blocked by more than ten other boats loaded with fierce-looking and armed hooligans around an area called Tebujo, which is also near an area called Opuraja. The seven escorts and the journalists were then evacuated from their boat into one of the boats of the hooligans. Along the line, Tompolo called and spoke with one of the journalists and he confirmed that he sent the hooligans to accost them and that they should “co-operate” with his boys. The seven boys and the journalists were then taken to Tompolo’s house in Opuraja where they were beaten to pulp by Tompolo’s boys. The cameras of the journalists were all seized and the memory cards were removed so that they could not show what they went to cover.
It was a near-death experience for all the victims and in particular for Mr. Tokunbor Oluwaleye who is suffering from internal bleeding and is in a critical condition till today. It took the intervention of highly-placed persons who were begging Tompolo before he grudgingly directed that they be released late in the evening of that Sunday to the Naval and Army personnel in the area.
Sirs, your failure to simply carry out your statutory duties of arrest, investigation and prosecution of Tompolo for his various acts of lawlessness is now a national and an international embarrassment to the Government of President Goodluck Jonathan. It is disgusting to all men of normal minds to see a private citizen strutting all over the place, threatening lives, abducting citizens, (perhaps silently killing voiceless persons) and you hide your heads in the sand. Yet, he moves about with nearly a whole platoon of Army and security personnel that even a serving Governor cannot get. What is going on?
Recall that I wrote a complaint of the open threat to my life by the same individual nearly two weeks ago, yet you have not even done as little as write me an acknowledgment letter. It is such a shame. This unhealthy romance between government officials in high places and this individual raises strong suspicion over, perhaps, some criminal dalliance in relation to shady deals. I am confident that time will tell us better. There is no better way to see this. But I have decided that enough is enough.
TAKE NOTICE that if within 72 hours of the receipt of this petition you fail, refuse and/or neglect to invite/arrest, investigate and perhaps prosecute Mr. Government Ekpemupolo (alias Tompolo) for the threat to my life and the attempted murder of these seven escorts and the journalists, I will be proceedings to court to compel you to do your duties under the law.
I would want you to come and tell the court what is tying your hands against Tompolo.
The ball is in your court.
Yours most trusted,
FESTUS KEYAMO, ESQ. Head of Chambers
CC: The President and Commander-in-Chief, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.
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