High Chief Government Ekpemupolo (Tompolo)

The focus of military operations was Government Ekpemupolo known as Tompolo who has still to present himself in court on money-laundering charges (AC Vol 57 No 4 The great militant chase)...

Spotting an opportunity Sylva has been talking to activists close to militant leader Government Ekpemupolo known as Tompolo to strike a deal under which they would campaign for an APC victory in Bayelsa in return for positions in the amnesty organisation...

Once closely linked with the PDP having benefited from contracts under the Goodluck Jonathan government Tompolo takes a pragmatic view of the Buhari government...

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission seems to have forgotten all about its demands for the presumed boss of militant bosses Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo) to appear in court in Lagos...

Ndigbara was linked to the bombing of the Bonny-Okrika pipeline three years ago which coincided with other blasts in the Delta while the army was hunting for militant boss Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo) (AC Vol 57 No 5 The great militant chase)...

Most rebel leaders from the 2003-09 phase of the conflict – including Bibopre Ajube 'General Shoot-at-Sight' Victor Ebikabowei Ben 'Boyloaf' Government Tompolo and Ateke Tom – have turned on their old patron Goodluck Jonathan the former President and rallied around Buhari...

Most rebel leaders from the 2003-09 phase of the conflict – including Bibopre Ajube 'General Shoot-at-Sight' Victor Ebikabowei Ben 'Boyloaf' Government Tompolo and Ateke Tom – have turned on their old patron Goodluck Jonathan the former President and rallied around Buhari...

As the Niger Delta's number one gangster Government Ekpemupolo lies low to avoid arrest and an appearance before a Lagos court community leaders from his power base in Gbaramatu near Chevron's facility in Warri Delta State are losing patience with the federal government's slowness to renew an amnesty with militant fighters (AC Vol 57 No 16 Juicier carrots heavier sticks)...

George's death changed the balance of power in the Delta greatly benefiting Government Ekpemupolo 'Tompolo' and traditional Ijaw leaders such as Chief Edwin Clark...

This year Osinbajo has visited the Niger Delta thrice: the first time to the Gbaramatu Kingdom in Delta State the base of militant leader Government Ekpemupolo aka 'Tompolo' who is thought to have been behind last year's upsurge in attacks on oil installations; then to Bayelsa State home base of defeated President Goodluck Jonathan; finally to oil capital Port Harcourt in Rivers State...

There is a new wave of anger in the Delta following the death of Chief Thomas Osen Ekpemupolo the Tunteriwei of Gbaramatu Kingdom and father of the militant leader High Chief Government Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo...

Although Tompolo who is wanted by the government on corruption charges linked to a state security contract has distanced himself from the Avengers he has widespread support among the new generation of militant groups...

As a local security expert pointed out Tompolo has more combat experience than the average colonel or general in the Nigerian army...

That was widely interpreted as a snub not only to the Ijaw political elite – Gbaramatu is the spiritual centre of Ijaw nationalism – but specifically to Tompolo eminent local resident and officially retired militant kingpin...

Gbaramatu is Tompolo's base of operations and has been on a high state of alert all year...

Tompolo refuses to appear in court and army manhunts for him into the interior of Gbaramatu have yielded only local resentment towards the military's heavy-handedness...

Tompolo's supporters have had months to prepare the ground for battle...

It also seemed to rule out the involvement of High Chief Government Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo as he was on the run and locked in to his own stand-off with the military Joint Task Force (JTF) around Chevron's Escravos base...

Tompolo's firepower is focussed on keeping the JTF at bay...

At the same time the Avengers issued a four-day ultimatum for Tompolo to apologise for denouncing them; reinforcing the competition among militants gangs in the Delta...

Then the Avengers threatened to take their grievances to Tompolo's home turf in the western Delta at Oporoza Gbaramatu Kingdom...

The Avengers' Spokesman Colonel Mudoch Agbinibo demanded an apology from Tompolo for criticising their activities...

Tompolo's Media Advisor Paul Bebenimibo said his boss would never apologise to the Avengers for any imagined slight...

If not for his present issues with the Federal Government he (Tompolo) would have gone after them and exposed them...

Several other militant groups have pledged loyalty to the Buhari government including Eris Paul aka General Ogunboss and his partner Africanus Ukparasia Tuwonwei aka General Africa along with political ally Timipre Sylva a former PDP Governor of Bayelsa who then defected to the APC (AC Vol 56 No 25 Taking down Tompolo)...

Activists in the Delta now talk of a generational split between leaders such as Tompolo and Africa who benefited from amnesty programmes and security contracts in the past and who are publicly arguing that Buhari should be given a chance...

Avengers threatenAgbinibo has talked up the Avengers' fight with Tompolo with the military and the government: 'If the International oil companies and federal government of Nigeria thinks the Niger Delta Avengers are criminal as they claim and fail to meet our demands the Niger Delta Avengers are going to activate its elite unit code name Strike Team 1...

Picking a fight with Tompolo and the army at the same time looks audacious requiring serious finance access to arms and well-trained fighters...

Its targets are the government and the older generation of militants such as High Chief Government Ekpemupolo ('Tompolo') who were well rewarded by President Goodluck Jonathan's government for joining the amnesty programme...

Many suspect the Avengers which might subcontract technical help for operations is from a younger generation of militants angered by the deals that leaders such as Tompolo and Mujahid Dokubo-Asari made with Jonathan's government...