Niger Delta activist and Kalabari chieftain, Alhaji Asari Dokubo, has issued a forceful defense of fellow regional leader Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, following persistent allegations linking him to criminal activities including kidnapping.
In a video shared on Facebook on Friday, February 13, 2026, Dokubo addressed what he described as deliberate attempts by detractors to tarnish the reputations of prominent Niger Delta figures through baseless accusations .
"After Me Is Tompolo"
Dokubo's statement was characteristically direct and uncompromising. "You cannot attach kidnapping to Tompolo because after me is Tompolo," he declared, suggesting that the narratives now being deployed against Tompolo mirror those previously directed at him by critics seeking to discredit influential voices from the region .
The activist expressed frustration over what he characterized as a pattern of targeting Niger Delta leaders whenever security issues arise in the region. According to Dokubo, such allegations are often politically motivated and deliberately ignore the historical context of the region's decades-long struggle for resource control and environmental justice .
Beyond the Headlines: Context Matters
Dokubo argued that reducing the legacies of figures like Tompolo—who played significant roles in the Niger Delta agitation before embracing the federal government's amnesty programme—to mere accusations of criminality distorts the broader historical narrative of the region's grievances .
He emphasized that both he and Tompolo have long-standing records of advocacy and contributions to regional development, efforts he insisted should not be conflated with criminal enterprise. According to Dokubo, critics frequently overlook the transformation many former agitators have undergone, choosing instead to dwell on stereotypes that no longer reflect reality .
A Warning to Critics
The Kalabari chief warned against spreading unfounded rumors, stressing that attaching criminal labels to individuals without verifiable evidence undermines the principles of justice and fairness. He called on the public to scrutinize sweeping accusations before accepting them as truth and to judge public figures based on facts rather than speculation .
Dokubo suggested that influential Niger Delta figures often face heightened scrutiny precisely because of their past activism and continued relevance in regional affairs. This, he argued, reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of the socio-economic and political grievances that have shaped the Niger Delta conflict over the years .
The Complex History of Two Militant Leaders
The relationship between Dokubo and Tompolo has not always been harmonious, adding layers of complexity to Dokubo's current defense of his fellow Ijaw leader.
Both men emerged as prominent figures in the Niger Delta's militant struggles of the early 2000s. Dokubo founded the Niger Delta People's Volunteer Force (NDPVF), while Tompolo was a leading light in the now-defunct Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) . Their campaigns of armed resistance against the federal government and oil multinationals were instrumental in forcing the creation of the Presidential Amnesty Programme in 2009, which offered former fighters rehabilitation and stipends in exchange for laying down arms.
However, their paths have diverged and occasionally clashed. In a 2022 statement, Dokubo accused Tompolo of attempting to encroach on his territorial influence after being awarded a lucrative pipeline surveillance contract. "You (Tompolo) took pipeline contract in Delta, your place, and then you come to Kalabari to take pipeline contract because you are an Ijaw man; because only you know how to chop (eat)," Dokubo had charged, alleging the contract worth over ₦4 billion monthly was being used to undermine his standing in Rivers State .
In that same statement, Dokubo laid claim to having played a protective role in their shared history. "Does Tompolo leave Oporoza? Does he not know me? Saved me where, how? I am the one that saved Tompolo. I took my things there. I went to fight them with my men," he asserted, referencing joint operations in the late 1990s and early 2000s .
Tompolo Under Scrutiny
Tompolo's name has been repeatedly drawn into controversy, particularly regarding his business interests. In 2016, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) obtained an arrest warrant for him over allegations of siphoning ₦34.5 billion from the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) through a private public partnership agreement involving his company, Global West Vessel Specialists Limited . Tompolo's legal battles with the anti-graft agency have been protracted.
More recently, his security firm, Tantita Security Services Limited, which holds a multi-billion naira pipeline surveillance contract with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), has faced accusations. In June 2025, the Warri Indigenous People's Movement (WIPM) accused Tantita operatives of land grabs and harassment of Itsekiri communities. The group alleged that Itsekiri villages had been raided, residents arrested, and land boundaries manipulated, all under the guise of pipeline protection .
However, Tompolo also has defenders. Urhobo community leader Kelvin Fovie recently cautioned critics attacking Tompolo and Tantita, stating that Urhobo host communities are benefitting from the contract through employment and sub-contracting. "The Federal Government and NNPCL awarded the pipeline surveillance to Tantita based on merit, expertise and capacity to handle the project, it has nothing to do with ethnicity," Fovie argued .
The Unresolved Tension
Dokubo's intervention highlights the enduring sensitivities surrounding the Niger Delta's complex history. While the region has experienced improved stability since the height of militancy, accusations and counter-accusations involving former leaders continue to surface, often intertwined with contemporary political and economic competition.
Security analysts note that while kidnapping and other crimes remain pressing challenges in parts of southern Nigeria—often carried out by various criminal networks with no connection to historical agitators—there is a tendency to conflate broad security concerns with specific individuals, a practice Dokubo firmly rejects .
A Call for Fairness*
Dokubo concluded his remarks by reiterating that public figures should not be judged solely by past affiliations or assumptions. He called for balanced narratives that recognize the evolving roles of Niger Delta leaders in contemporary society and urged Nigerians to resist narratives designed to divide or demonize .
"Reputation and integrity matter," Dokubo stated, emphasizing that justice demands nothing less than the rigorous examination of facts before conclusions are drawn .
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