The troops invaded Tompolo’s town Kurutie in the hunt for Niger Delta Avengers – The locals confirmed the development, saying that soldiers are going from house to house. The Nigerian army in a search for Government Ekpemupolo better known as Tompolo has invaded another community of Gbaramatu kingdom, Warri South-West local government area, Delta state. The locals were asleep as the troops came in six gunboats at about 4.30 am on May 30, Monday.
However, many residents fled for their safety into the bush when heard the sound of the gunboats. The troops, who rapidly cordoned the community, embarked on a house to house search. “I am looking at the soldiers from a hideout in the bush, they are going from house to house.
We know their tactics, so we ran away when they landed this morning at the jetty in the town, belonging to Tompolo’s father,” one of the sources said. Tompolo’s father reportedly was not in Kurutie when the military raided the town this morning, but an over 70-year-old man, simply named as Do Good Ikekama, is among the citizens supposedly molested and forced to take the soldiers around some homes.
Ijaw residents have appealed to President Buhari to stop the Nigerian army from invading their houses. The military reportedly issued an ultimatum to locals to produce the militants.
Tompolo has several times denied having any link with the Niger Delta Avengers, but the army seemed to disbelieve him, and were chasing him.
