Find the press statement from Festus Keyamo Chambers below...
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. Please continue..
The facts are that the
aforementioned boys (hereinafter referred to as “the seven victims”), 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. Recall that I raised an alarm last week about the threat by
Tompolo in respect of the commissioning of the project by the
President. True to the alarm, the President called off the commissioning
because of the threat by Tompolo.
When leaving the venue, the
journalists were joined on the boat by the seven victims, three of whom were
given a free ride, one was a boat driver and three were from the company that
owns the boat.
On their way from Ogidingben after their assignments, the
seven victims 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 victims 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 victims 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. Unknown
to them however, the journalists all had back-ups of their materials in their
external hard disks which Tompolo’s boys did not see and seize.
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 Naval and
Army personnel in the area for the victims and journalists to be rescued from
the hands of Tompolo’s boys later that evening.
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 victims and the journalists, I will be proceeding 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
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