High Chief Government Ekpemupolo (Tompolo)

Troops are hunting down militants believed to follow High Chief Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo a MEND commander with links to Delta politicians and whose involvement in the conflict goes back to the Ijaw-Itsekiri communal violence in 1997...

There are rumours that the army plans to establish a permanent barracks in the area in Tompolo's father's house...

Locals say Uduaghan has often visited a known training camp; George Timinimi who runs the Delta State Ministry of Water Resources was Tompolo's friend but is now his rival...

Tompolo who is close to many Ijaw politicians has security contracts with the State government and perhaps with oil companies...

Until recently Tompolo received N100 million a month from Governor Uduaghan...

Tompolo and Timinimi had nominated rival candidates...

Tompolo the target Each time the 'acceptable' level of violence rises and overall security moves nearer to breakdown...

This time the attempt to co-opt Tompolo failed and his revenue from oil bunkering is squeezed by low prices...

Tompolo was not on it...

If Tompolo is removed who will take his place...

In the Delta JTF Commander Lieutenant General Sakin-Yaki Bello declared 'wanted dead or alive' the same Government Tompolo reported to have been killed by his forces the previous week...

In the Delta JTF Commander Lieutenant General Sakin-Yaki Bello declared 'wanted dead or alive' the same Government Tompolo reported to have been killed by his forces the previous week...

FNDIC was at the centre of that uprising mainly led by Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tom Polo) George Timinimi and Bello Oboko who controlled the group's company...

Soon afterwards FNDIC's top field commander Tom Polo met Fara and Okah in Okerenkoko calling in Asari who sent his trusted advisors Dakuro Princewill and Cynthia Whyte...

Key figures are Kingsley Otuaro Government Ekpemupolo George Timinimi Bello Oboko and Dan Ekpebide whose names appear on an FNDIC document dated 1 March saying they would release the six hostages taken by MEND...

Government Ekpemupolo also known as 'Tom Polo' is said to be 'spiritual leader' of MEND; unlike his colleagues he keeps away from journalists and military officers...

The missing piece of the jigsaw could be High Chief Government Ekpemupolo one of Oboko's FNDIC colleagues who lives in the Forcados area...