President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered
the immediate return of the Egbesu golden sword seized by the Nigerian
Army last year to Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South Local Government of
Delta state.
This development comes
just as the Federal Government intensifies effort to appease the restive
Niger Delta region to stabilise oil production.
The
golden sword described as the symbol of authority of the Gbaramatu, was
reportedly confiscated by soldiers from the 4th Brigade, Benin City, in
May last year while searching for ex-militant leader, Government
Ekpomukpolo, alias Tompolo, in the heat of oil facility bombings in the
area.
Vanguard reports that in addition
to the return of the sword, the Presidency has also resolved to
mobilize funds for the immediate takeoff of the Maritime University of
Nigeria, which has been marred by controversies and lack of funding.
A
top Presidency source told Vanguard that President Buhari ordered the
search, recovery and immediate return of the golden sword which is a
symbol of the ‘Egbesu Shrine’, to Gbaramatu Kingdom with immediate
effect.
The
official, who pleaded anonymity, said the new move by the Presidency to
appease the Niger Delta was in line with the resolve by the government
to bring about lasting peace to the area and end the destruction of
economic facilities that is currently hurting the nation.
The source confirmed that it was in a bid to appease the Niger Delta and forge ahead that President Buhari despatched his deputy, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, to meet with key leaders of the Niger Delta in recent weeks, even in his absence on vacation and medical attention.
The
official described Osinbajo’s ongoing visits to the Niger Delta as a
‘diplomatic offensive’ aimed at resolving the crisis in the region.
Vanguard learned that as part of the Niger Delta rapprochement, the
Presidency has also decided to play down on the use of open military
tactics against Niger Delta militants in favour of dialogue with
identified groups, one of them being the Pan Niger Delta Elders Forum
(PANDEF).
The official said: “President
Buhari instructed the Vice President to go and work out details of
series of tours and visits to all the states in the country that have
oil-producing communities and ensure that all interests are brought to
the table, regardless of parties or any other differing factors or
cleavages.
“The meetings also
resolved that the Amnesty Programme which the President had already
instructed should be maintained with even greater budgetary funding and
this must be clearly communicated to the communities by the Vice
President during the meetings.
“Besides,
the President also asked the Vice President to ensure that during the
visits, the communities should be made to understand that the Federal
Government is now interested in action and would do its own part.
The
Vice President was also asked to secure from the communities a buy-in
of peace and collaboration from state governments and the oil companies
in particular.
“To show his
determination and commitment to create a new understanding and
atmosphere between the government and the communities, the President in
fact, gave an order after the Vice President’s visit to Gbaramatu that
an investigation be conducted to determine what happened during an
alleged military raid of Gbaramatu community where the kingdom’s Golden
Sword was allegedly taken away.
“The
presidential order also directed that a search for the golden sword of
the kingdom, allegedly confisticated, if this is found to be so, should
be recovered and once located, promptly released to the kingdom with an
apology.”
It will be recalled
that Chief Government Ekpemupolo had threatened to take steps to recover
the missing golden sword, which is also referred to as the traditional
symbol of authority of Gbaramatu Kingdom.
Tompolo in an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari had said that the
Nigeria military during one of their raids on his community have taken
his symbol of authority as the chief priest of Egbesu Shrine, Oporoza,
Gbaramatu Kingdom.
Vanguard reports
that former Niger Delta militant stated that the incident happened about
31 days ago when soldiers stormed Oporoza in his absence in search for
him on allegation that he was behind the bombing of oil facilities in
the region.
Tompolo, in a letter to
the president, expressed the wish to meet with Buhari saying that the
meeting would present him with an opportunity to tell President Buhari “my side of the numerous stories you have been inundated about me.”
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