By Our Correspondent
A coalition of stakeholders and youth groups from Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State has faulted Mr. Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo over his recent visit to the state and the alleged secret meeting with former President Goodluck Jonathan.
They alleged that claims by both individuals that the meeting was meant to deliberate on issues relating to security and peace in the Niger Delta are entirely deceptive and provocative because of the nature of persons involved.
In a statement, the coalition of youths including the Southern Ijaw Unity Forum, the SILGA United Voices for Peace, One Southern Ijaw Agenda, and the Indigenous Movement for SILGA Development, acknowledged that freedom of movement is a fundamental human right under the 1999 Constitution, but noted that Tompolo’s visit to Bayelsa on the 17th of October, 2025 signals political interests capable of fueling political crisis in the state.
The statement, jointly signed by Comrade Timothy Amadiowei, Mrs Victoria Elijah, Chief Thompson Kurobo and Josiah Apoi on behalf of their various groups, said it is very sad that former President Goodluck Jonathan is talking about security and peace in the Niger Delta..
They alleged that not only did the former President pay no attention to the alleged killings, but he also failed to call those who masterminded the massacre to order.
According to them, Jonathan allegedly knows the level of bitterness, tension and rift the March 27 2024 incident has created in the Niger Delta among different parties from the Ijaw struggle platform, but he allegedly failed to broker peace among them, and even when the incident degenerated to blackmails, witch-hunts and victimisation in which stakeholders were accused of crimes they knew nothing about so that they could be nailed.
They allegedly when people’s houses were being burnt down and others forced to flee their homes, the former President allegedly said nothing, but sadly enough, he is now telling the world that the secret meeting was about peace and security when he has allegedly neglected to call aggrieved stakeholders to broker peace.
According to the statement, “The massacre of over 80 persons in Igbomotoru Community on the 27th of March, 2024 still remains fresh in the minds of Bayelsans and the international scene.”
“Properties worth billions of Naira were wantonly destroyed during the Igbomotoru raid masterminded by surveillance contractors because of political interests and nobody said anything about it.
“Many youths are being owed salaries by pipeline surveillance contractors running into several months with no indication that they will be paid, after putting their lives on the line to protect oil and gas facilities in the state, yet the former president has not used his position as a father to intervene.
“Tantita Security is yet to pay salaries of those it disengaged from service owing to political differences arising from the 2023 Bayelsa State Governorship elections – nobody is saying anything about it. We use this medium to call on Tompolo to pay the arrears before continuing with his politically-driven public donations.
“It is very disappointing that sons of Bayelsa like Joshua MacIver and Pastor Reuben Wilson succumb to cheap puppet politics to outsiders to cause atrocities in our state”, they alleged.
They said they are not comfortable with the fact that surveillance contractors from other regions are teleguiding the affairs of Bayelsa State by orchestrating chaos and crisis; while keeping their own communities and regions peaceful and developed.
They called on Bayelsans to maintain peace and be law-abiding during this political maneuvering by desperate politicians.
