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The Niger Delta Indigenous Movement for Radical Change (NDIMRC) has condemned the invasion of the home town of ex-militant leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo (aka Tompolo), by men of the Nigerian Army.
The siege came less than 24 hours after the National Universities Commission (NUC) approved the take off of the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko.
NDIMRC,in a press statement signed by its President, Nelly Emma; Secretary, John Sailor and Public Relations Officer, Stanley Mukoro, specifically fumed over the alleged take over of Oporoza, the headquarters of Gbararmatu Kingdom and Azama by military men.
It described the take over of Gbararmatu Kingdom by military operatives as “uncalled for and unacceptable to the people of the Niger Delta Region.”
According to the group: “On Saturday, February 3, 2018, we got distressed calls from Gbararmatu Kingdom that military men took over the area for no clear reason. The military men took over Azama and Oporoza and harassed the hell out of the people for no reason.
“There was no sign of crisis in the area. Azama is at peace; the whole of Gbararmatu Kingdom is at peace and so we do not see any reason why the military men should create a warlike situation in the area. We see the action of the military men as a ploy to delay the take off of the Nigerian Maritime University Okerenkoko.
“It was only on Friday, February 2, 2018, a team from the National Universities Commission (NUC), came and carried out inspection of the site of the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko, and gave the University a clean bill of health, only for the military men to come into the area on Saturday and started harassing and intimidating the people.”
The group, however,urged the Chief of Army Staff to “call his men to order, leave the peace-loving people of Gbararmatu Kingdom alone and refrain from joining forces with those doing everything possible to see that the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko, does not see the light of day.”
NDIMRC said the NUC having approved the take off of academic activities at the university, with the go-ahead to commence graduate degree programmes and to admit JAMB candidates the military should “vacate Gbararmatu Kingdom and stop creating warlike situation in the area.”
