Buhari has declared war on the Niger Delta, says Ijaw group

September 08

16:54 2015

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The Ijaw People Development Initiative (IPDI) says that President Muhammadu Buhari has declared war on the Niger Delta for‎ the freezing of accounts of companies owned by Government Ekpemupolo, better known as Tompolo.

‎It was reported at the weekend that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) froze the accounts of Mieka Divers Limited and Global West Vessels, companies linked to Tompolo, for reasons bordering on fraud, as well as those of Keketobou Foundation, said to be owned by Kingsley Kuku, former special adviser to Jonathan on Niger Delta and coordinator of the amnesty programme.

Reacting to the development on Tuesday, the Ijaw group, through a statement by Austin Ozobo, its president, said: “The freezing of Tompolo’s accounts by the federal government is barbaric, unlawful and obnoxious because Tompolo is not under any investigation. As a matter of fact, Tompolo is not under any investigation; therefore, there is no reason for his accounts to be frozen.”

“Tompolo was just a contractor and the said contracts are ongoing, there was no case of abandonment of the said contracts. The contracts were legally awarded, there was no case of breach, the point is that Buhari should have respect for the law, he should maintain decorum.

“What is within the purview of the law is either execution or revocation of the contract and not freezing of the contractor’s account. Even in the case of contravention, the contractor has nothing to answer, except the institution that awarded the contract, what Buhari is doing is a witch hunt and declaration of war against the Niger-Delta people.”