Breaking: Court Orders Ex-Militant Leader, Government Tompolo’s Arrests

A former Niger Delta warlord,Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, has shunned the order of a Federal High Court in Lagos to unconditionally appear today to answer a 40-count of alleged N13bn fraud levelled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

While all his co-accused, including a former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Patrick Akpobolokemi, were present in court, only Tompolo failed to appear.

Justice Ibrahim Buba has consequently issued a bench warrant on Tompolo and ordered the police to produce him in court by all means.

Government Ekpemupolo who is also known as Tompolo, says he is yet to receive the summons of the federal high court in Lagos which threatened to order his arrest if he does not appear before it on Thursday January 14th.?

Speaking through his spokesperson, Paul Bebenibo, Tompolo said he was yet to receive the court summon.

“We have not seen the court summons, but there is no problem as long as the Nigerian judiciary is working,” he told TheCable…

EFCC is investigating Tompolo over a N?13 billion land he sold to the Federal government for the construction of Nigerian Maritime University. According to the antigraft agent, the land transaction was fraudulent.

A Federal High Court in Lagos had ordered an ex-Niger Delta militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, to unconditionally appear before it on Thursday to answer 40 counts of alleged N13bn fraud levelled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Tompolo had been charged on Tuesday with an amended 40 counts of conspiracy, fraud and money laundering alongside an ex-Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Patrick Akpobolokemi.

Justice Ibrahim Buba granted the order to compel Tompolo’s appearance in chambers on Tuesday shortly after the amended charges were filed in court.