Former militant leader, Government Ekpemukpolo also known as Tompolo lost his father, Thomas Osen Ekpemukpolo to the cold hands of death in the early hours of Wednesday. Tompolo’s father was 84 years old.
The elderly Ekpemukpolo died at Lily Clinic on Deco Road in Warri, Delta state according to Gbaramatu Voice, a community newspaper cited by online news medium, Premium Times.
The Ekpemupolo family is also said to be preparing to issue a public statement concerning the death of the patriarch of the family.
Tompolo has remained on the run since 2015 when he was declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with a N48bn fraud uncovered at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
The former militant warlord refused to honor several court summons and evaded arrest by security agencies who went in search of him.
Following a search for suspected members of militant group, Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) rumored to have been sponsored by Tompolo, in the Gbamaturu community on May 28, Tompolo issued a statement from his hiding place claiming his father was attacked.
In an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari in August, the ex-militant leader alleged that “the rough treatment” his father received in the hands of officers of the Nigerian Army had led to the amputation of the older Ekpemukpolo’s lower limbs in July.
“From the doctor’s report, it will be a thing of miracle if he survives this incident,” Tompolo said Tompolo.
He further asked: “Is this 84 year old man also a member of the Niger Delta Avengers that they brutalized him to the point of death?”
It remains to be seen if the death of Tompolo’s father would make one of Nigeria’s most wanted men come out of hiding.
His alleged accomplices at NIMASA including former director-general of the agency, Patrick Akpobolokemi are presently facing trial at both the Lagos state high court and the federal high court in Lagos.
Many observers may also begin to wonder if the NDA which recently announced a ceasefire may consider the death of Tompolo’s father a reason to resume hostilities.
It is however doubtful that some Nigerians, as opposed as they may be to Tompolo’s antecedents and approach to issues, may be tempted to celebrate the demise of the older Ekpemukpolo.
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