Tompolo’s stolen property: Group wants naval personnel involved probed

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The Niger Delta Indigenous Movement For  Radical Change (NDIMRC) has called on Commander of the Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Delta, Commodore Ibrahim Dewo not to leave any stone unturned in bringing to book the Naval Personnel involved in the alleged stealing of N10 Billion property of ex-militant leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo.

Recalled that three Navy Personnel deployed to protect the facilities at Tompolo’s Waterfront and Jetty, near Chevron Clinic, Edjeba, Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State, confiscated on the order of a Federal High Court by the  Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, were caught, July 22, 2018, carting away a Transformer from the premises with civilian accomplices.

NDIMRC in a Press Statement signed by its President, Nelly Emma, Secretary, John Sailor and Public Relations Officer (PRO), Stanley Mukoro, demanded for for  a proper probe into the case.

According to the Press Statement; ” First and foremost, we want to commend the Commander of the Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Delta, Commodore Ibrahim Dewo for his prompt response to the case of the looting of the property of Tompolo by some Navy Personnel. But we want to implore him to do more by ensuring that  those involved in the criminal act are made to face the music. There should be no hiding place for those giving the Navy a bad name. The law must be allowed to take its full course. We are not going to rest until  the perpetrators are exposed and tried properly. Justice must be done to this case “.

“We want to let Commodore Ibrahim Dewo to know that property worth over N15 Billion were in the premises of Tompolo when they were seized by the Federal, this is known to the two former Commanders of the NNS Delta. All efforts made by one of the younger brothers of Tompolo to prevail on the former Commanders to prevent the looting of the property proved abortive as these former Commanders turned hostile to all those connected to Tompolo, they refused to be advised on the need to prevent the stealing of the seized property and they encouraged Naval men to feast on the property.

If the former Commanders worked the way Commodore Dewo is working, the looting would have been checked. We are impressed with the efforts of the current Commander of the NNS Delta who  has been doing his best and working round the clocks since  his resumption  to safeguard the confiscated property and we want to urge him to take it upon himself to make sure that those involved in the stealing of the property do not go unpunished”, the group stated.

The group also said that; ” We sincerely appreciate the efforts of Commodore Dewo in safeguarding the Property of Tompolo since his resumption. We want to plead with him to do everything possible to ensure that the case is not swept under the carpet.

The three identified suspects, Lance Corporal Usman Shaibu, Staff Sergeant P.O. Ekong, Sergeant L.S. Elijah and those that aided and abetted them be made to face the music, there should be no cover up of this case. We trust that the hardworking boss of NNS Delta will never support criminality by his men as our investigation revealed that the  Navy is actually dealing with the situation”.

“We made bold to say that the looted properties were acquired legally by Tompolo through  hard work and no efforts should be spared in recovering them from those who stole them and the perpetrators punished. We urge the Commander of the NNS Delta, Commodore Dewo to take this issue to the Chief of Naval Staff  for thorough justice to be done”, the group added.