From Ben Dunno, Warri
Indigenes of Gbaramatu kingdom, hometown of ex-militant warlord, Government Ekpemukpolo, a.k.a Tompolo, in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State, have cried out over the frequent hovering of military aircraft in their community.
They have therefore warned against a repeat of the 2009 military bombardment that rendered hundreds of their people homeless and traumatised.
Similarly, they decried alleged unwholesome activities of the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC)/NECONDE, operator of OML 42 on their land, urging the Federal Government to call their management to order before the situation degenerates into violence.
Spokesperson of the Gbaramatu Traditional Council, Chief Godspower Gbenekama, who made this disclosures while addressing newsmen in Warri, noted that fear and apprehension had heightened among the indigenes since they observed the frequency with which the military embarks on aerial surveillance in their community.
According to him, “What could the military be looking for in carrying out aerial surveillance in our community, thereby causing unnecessary tension among our people who are beginning to build confidence and trust in the ongoing peace process being championed by the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo?
“We are suspecting conspiracy and sinister agenda to provoke our people to violence in order for the military to have an excuse to label us trouble makers but we have learnt our lessons and we have resolved not to throw even stone at anybody because we are already seeing the positiveness in the Acting President’s dialogue with the people in the region”.