The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a motion before Federal High Court, Lagos seeking to freeze the assets of High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, the ex-militant leader popularly called Tompolo.
The commission had already declared him wanted, following two bench warrants issued against him by the court where he has been charged with fraud.
The anti-graft agency accused him and nine others of diverting and converting N46 billion belonging to the Nigerian Maritime Administration and safety Agency (NIMASA).
Tompolo denied the allegation, accusing the Federal government of witch-hunting him for refusing to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“The real reason this All Progressive Congress (APC)-led government is after me is that I bluntly refused to join APC and to support their governorship candidate in Bayelsa state,” he had said in a statement. “We cannot all be in APC. Our people have always believed in the Nigerian project and had always hoped to join hands with this administration to move this project forward, but the conditions being attached are not acceptable.”
Subsequently, the militant leader promised to honour the invitation of the EFCC but said he did not want to be arraigned before just any judge.
However, in the motion filed by Festus Keyamo, counsel to the EFCC, the commission requested to seize the property pending the time Tompolo honours court summons. The properties to be frozen were listed as: (i) Property at No. 1 Chief Agbamu Close DDPA Extension Warri (Effurun), Delta State. (ii) All properties of Mieka Dive Ltd and Mieka Dive Training Institute Ltd situated at No. 77, Lioth Street, ODPA Ugborikoko, Uvwie Local Government Area, Delta State. (iii) All properties of Global WestVessel Specialist Ltd. (iiii) All properties of Muhaabix Global Services Ltd. (v) A River Crew Change Boat named MUHA – 15 (vi) The property known as “Tompolo Dockyard”, by the end of Enerhen Road, Effurun, Warri. (vii) The property known as “Tompolo Yard”, at the end of Chevron Clinic Road, next to Next Oil, Edjeba, Warri. (viii) The Diving School at Kurutie, at Escravos River. (ix) The property known as “Tompolo House” at Oporaza Town, opposite the Palace. (x) Any other property discovered by the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission, moveable and immoveable, belonging to the 1st Accused person.
-TheCable
