Niger Delta: Tompolo’s Community Boils Over Leadership Tussle

PHOTO: L-R: FORMER MILITANT LEADER, GOVERNMENT EKPEMUPOLO WITH DELTA STATE GOVERNOR, EMMANUEL UDUAGHAN DURING THE AMNESTY DEAL ARRANGEMENT,

WARRI, DELTA, (THEWILL) - Gbaramatu community in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State, that was attacked and bombarded by the Military Joint Task Force (JTF) last year on a revenge on militants that killed some military officers, which eventually lead to the introduction of the amnesty programme by the federal government, is boiling again as two youth groups are set to fight over the constitution of a central executive body for the youths of the area.

Before the acceptance of the amnesty deal and eventual repentance by armed militants, Gbaramatu community was a hideout for dreadful militants, and the stronghold of a former warlord, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo.

The trouble started on Sunday shortly after the inauguration of Gbaramatu Youth Council (GYC), by the former warlord in the kingdom which polarized the youths of the area with one group in support of the newly formed body and the other challenging the process of its constitution.

THEWILL gathered that for selfish interest, the former warlord inaugurated the body placing all his former loyalists in strategic positions with Felix Ubebe as President while another prominent Ijaw youth activist, Comrade Sheriff Mulade, has pitched his tent with the others in protest against the inauguration of the body.

Meanwhile, a prominent kingmaker in the community, Chief Alfred Bubor, warned against any act capable of disrupting the peace and development programme of the area even as he called for unity among the people at all times.

He expressed joy that qualified people have emerged as the youth leaders and advised them not to let the Kingdom down. The aggrieved faction of the youths decried that the inauguration of the new body by the Tompolo was completely against the interest of the entire people of the community.