Reasons Security Agents Could Not Find Me When I Was Declared Wanted—Nigerian Ex-Militant Leader

Reasons Security Agents Could Not Find Me When I Was Declared Wanted

OpenLife Nigeria reports that Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, has revealed how he successfully prevented being arrested by security agents who have, on several occasions, found reasons to declare him wanted.
In an interview, earlier published in Vanguard newspaper, the 51 years old ex militant who was commander of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, was declared wanted by the Joint Task Force in Niger Delta in 2009 when government felt uncomfortable by their militant agitations for resource control in the region. Soldiers searched for him and bombarded many places but could not find him. Many, at that time, insinuated that he ran out of the country
Speaking during the conversation, Tompolo who is also the chief priest of the Egbesu deity — Niger-Deltan god of war—stated that it was an impossibility for any security agent to arrest him because of the makeup of his environment.
Tompolo said “You know when somebody is fighting a genuine cause; you have nothing to fear; I was in my place by the grace of God, the Almighty God, and the ancestors of our lands were protecting me. Therefore, even if I am here with you, if you do not have good intentions about me, you will not see me. I was here throughout (referring to Gbaramatu Kingdom) I did not go anywhere because the land I come from protected me,” he disclosed.
Recently, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, NNPC Limited, after security checks, awarded a multi-billion naira pipeline surveillance contract to five different companies, two of which the Ijaw born ex militant has an interest in the Niger Delta. They pay the companies per kilometer of pipeline based on performance.