Tompolo, richest militant leader, gets money through bunkering —JTF

The coordinator of joint media campaign centre, Col. Rabe Abubakar, said one of the sources of fund for Tompolo, is through oil bunkering, which that region is notorious for, Okerenkoko and the rest.
"The bunkering going on in Delta State is more than any other part of Nigeria. I believe Tompolo will be influencing roles in that region'.

Major-General Sarkin Yarkin-Bello displays the uniform of a Lieutenant declared missing by the JTF. I think it also a common fact that he is the most endowed militant leader in terms of resources in Niger-Delta, he has more money, he has more arms, and he has more wherewithal than any militant leader. On the 13th when they attacked us, we had missing in action, one by 10, that is 11 and on the 15th, the day we launched the attack, we had missing in action, one by five.

No suspect in custody

Right now, we don’t have any suspect in custody, we have arrested some but this morning, I ordered them to be released because I found out they have no connection whatsoever with the militants we are after.

"They were arrested around Okerenkoko, they were brought here and this morning, we asked them to be released. Be that as it may, we have also through their knowledge of the area being able to gain more information, which will help us in our operation".

Gbaramatu infested with militants

There is still need to comb that area more, a lot of them (militants) have escaped with their weapons and the region is still not safe.

There are still militants running up and down and I am just telling you, on the day I was there, between Oporoza and Camp 5, we saw a militant boat that came out from one creek and entered another creek in a jiffy. But our boat could not enter the place, it was a shallow place. So, what I am trying to tell you is that that area is still infested with militants".

JTF recovers duty roster, photographs of militants

THE Joint Task Force, has said that it has recovered duty roster, photographs and some other documents from the militants' camp.

The coordinator of joint media campaign centre, Col. Rabe Abubakar said that “the last time we met I told you we were able to gather a lot of information in Camp 5, we got a lot of documents from Camp 5 as well as ‘Aso Rock”, which we gather is what they call the house of Tompolo in Oporoza.

"In the first place, in Camp 5 we have been able to understand and gather information to show the nature of the place. It is truly a militant camp despite the weapons cache we were able to get from that region”.

“We have been able to get documents that have revealed even pictures of that have shown the number of recruits, past and present, some people who performed duty there, we have a duty roster here, got camp 5, which concerns troops’ pay and duty roster.

"The various duties that are being performed, the various ammunitions that are being signed on daily basis, just like a military unit, the various people who supply foodstuff, how they are paid and from which part of that kingdom they come from is all contained here. I would have loved to give you the details of the names, payment lists and everything but that will compromise our investigation".

“This particular payment list (displays it) Some people are being paid N30, 000, N35, 000 amounting to almost N1, 380, 000 with date and everything and also we have a roster, which shows the number of ammunition that each person signs for rifle and he goes to duty to various camps and locations of Camp and environs, including the Aso Rock, the number of people that guard it for day duty, for afternoon duty and what have you.

This one (shows another register) is for security posting, it shows the people who are posted to where, morning duty, even the people who supply firewood to the camp, including diesel department and they are even called soldiers you know, some are drivers, secretaries, cooks, generator man, all sorts of things.

It is a well-organized quasi military establishment that was running in that place. These are soldiers (displays another recovered register from the camp) with guns, all of them with registration numbers, with the number of bullets, you can see 90 bullets, 25 bullets.

Also in that camp, we were able to get some photographs, you can see some of them posing with their AK 47 and other weapons. We are on their trail, many of them”, he said.


***Summons Gbaramatu royal father over Tompolo

COMMANDER of the Joint Task Force on the Niger-Delta, Major General Sarkin Yarkin-Bello yesterday invited the fleeing traditional ruler of Gbaramatu kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Pere Godwin Bebemibo to explain his relationship with the wanted militant leader, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, who was declared wanted by the task force, five days ago.

HRH Bebebimibo fled his palace on May 20 when the task force bombarded his house and he has not been seen in public since then. He is a retired Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP). According to the JTF boss, “I am really looking for him; I want to talk to him.

I really want to talk to him on how his house is close to that of Tompolo, they are just by each other and how he was even able to get to the throne, you know, I just want to find out his relationship with Tompolo.

“I am using this medium to say that he should please come and see the JTF Commander. I have not declared him wanted.

"Anybody who has information about Tompolo should come, I also intend to meet with the traditional rulers, I was told they came en masse here while I was away in the creeks". and I believe he should be one of them and then if they come, even if he is not there, I will them that I want to chat with so and so person”, he said.

“Anybody who is close to him (Tompolo) who is willing to give me more insight as to his character, I am really
interested.

Alleges sabotage of Chevron pipelines

The coordinator of joint media campaign centre, has said "there was sabotage of Chevron pipelines around that area and sadly, we have traced that to one miscreant, he is a small miscreant called Kingsley Odiete, alias Opuye, we have his picture, we are also on his trail now.
"He is the owner of the militant camp we destroyed".