Kinsmen of Government Ekpemukpolo, known as Tompolo, a former militant
leader, have asked the military, the Nigerian Police, and other security
agencies to exercise restraint in the execution of President Muhammadu
Buhari’s directive to “deal ruthlessly with ballot box snatchers”.
Tompolo’s kinsmen, under the aegis of the Warriors Ijaw Peace Monitoring
Group (WIPMG), said the Nigerian military and the Police should not take
advantage of the directive to “harass and intimidate voters as the
riverine terrain is naturally difficult to navigate”.
Patrick Bigha, Chairman of WIPMG, urged the military adhere strictly to
its rules of engagement or code of conduct.
The statement read: “There is over 200% increment of the cost of
transportation in the riverine areas now. The only means of transportation
is by boats, and it is certain that voters must be transported from their
living homes to their voting units by boats, either speedboats or slowly
moving boats.
“This advice became imperative as there is already fear and tension in the
riverine communities, because of the incessant harassment and intimidation
of riverine dwellers by the Nigerian military in recent times. The
greatest evil one can inflict on the riverine dwellers is to stop them
from voting candidates of their choice during the elections, as it is the
only means for them to participate in the affairs of the country.
“One thing the military should know is that we are in a democratic state
and democracy has come to stay in Nigeria. The military must adhere
strictly to its rules of engagement or code of conduct.
“The riverine dwellers have realised that the bane of development in our
country is the election of leaders, as electing the wrong persons into
positions of authority has contributed greatly to the present level of
development in Nigeria, especially economic and infrastructural
development of the riverine communities, for instance, the abandonment of
the Escravos free trade zone (EPZ) project, which compromises a gas city
at Ogidigben and a deep sea port in Gbaramatu kingdom.
“The project was inaugurated by the former administration in March 2015.
This is a project that would have employed about 150,000 personnel at the
construction stage. This project would have helped to reduce the level of
unemployment in Nigeria today, but it was abandoned by the current Federal
Government as a result of the 2015 election, even though the project was
largely driving by the private sector.
“Another example is the politicization of the Nigerian Maritime
University, Okerenkoko, established by the former administration in May
2014. The university was almost written off by the current government, if
not for the aggressive public outcry of Nigerians, and the university is
the only good thing that has happened to the riverine communities in the
Niger Delta region since the existence of this country.
“It is in view of all these happenings that we want to sincerely appeal to
the military to understand the plight of the riverine dwellers, so that
they can exercise their civic right unhindered.”