Security has been stepped up in Port Harcourt and its environs as the hunt for the wanted leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Mr. Government Ekpemupolo a.k.a Tompolo, hots up.
Security agents are working on a lead that the militant leader, who is a key actor in the current onslaught with federal forces in parts of Delta State, is taking refuge in the city and is desperately looking for assistance to cater for his depleted ‘army.’
Saturday Tribune gathered that the militant leader had, in the past few days, been making frantic calls to other militant leaders in Rivers State and some Ijaw chiefs for financial and weaponry assistance.
A security source said Tompolo had telephoned a prominent Ijaw chief who resides in Port Harcourt for an assistance of N10 million, which the chief allegedly obliged.
However, the source said, when a meeting was fixed on the location where the money would be collected, Tompolo suspected that he was being set up and refused to show up at the place, adding that he had refused to contact the chief since then.
The source said, in the past few weeks, his camp had been hit by lack of arms supplies and other logistics after Joint Military Task Force invaded his armoury and blocked his supply routes.
It was learnt this shortfall is already creating panic within Tompolo’s camp, fuelling rumours that the militant leader and his group might be forced to surrender soon.