No fewer than 20 Niger Delta coalition groups have strongly condemned the blackmail, abuses, and unfounded lies being spread against the administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Chief Dennis Brutu Otuaro Ph.D., and High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, by one, according to them, destitute and desperate Jude Gbaboyor, secretary to Niger Delta former agitator Ben Ebikabowei, alias Boyloaf.
The groups, who described Gbaboyor as an enemy of the Niger Delta, added that he was sacked from the Amnesty Office by the immediate past coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brigadier General Idiomu, due to misconduct.
The groups, which claim Gbaboyor is hungry and looking for daily sustenance, include Niger Delta Ex-fighters (NDF), Movement for Youths of Good Conscience (MYGC), Urhobo Defenders, Ijaw People’s Development Initiative (IPDI), ODM, Niger Delta Indigenous Voice (NDIV), Niger Delta Youth Initiative (NDYI), Isoko Youths for Good Governance (IYGG), Ijaw Students Initiative (ISI), Human Rights Protection Group (HRPG), and Niger Delta Transparency Network (NDTN).
Others are Niger Delta for Good Governance (NDGG), Bayelsa Eyes Group (BEG), Bayelsa-Rivers Coalition (BRC), Edo Riverine Coalition (ERC), Ondo Ijaw Movement (OIM), Rivers Ijaw Protection Group (RIPG), New Age Freedom Fighters (NAFF), Coalition for Underprivileged Rights Protection Group (URPG), Niger Delta Descendants Front (NDDF), and Niger Delta Elite Group (NDEG).
In a joint statement signed by their leaders, Elder Emury Bekenawei, Comrade Peter Luke, Mr. Cletus Itari, Comrade Efe Tam, Comrade God’spower Joseph, Chief Obonk Stanley, Chief Catalyst Don Pedro, Comrade Gbugbemi Tunde, Comrade Tamaralaye Android, Comrade Joseph Metal, Comrade Daniel Ekio, Comrade Fire Ebi, Comrade Thunder Lafia, and others, they called for Boyloaf to rein in Gbaboyor, warning that his character assassination, blackmail, abuses, and disrespect for Tompolo and Otuaro are concerning to responsible stakeholders in the region.
The coalition, condemning Gbaboyor’s Facebook rants, exonerated Dr. Dennis Brutu Otuaro from the unfounded blackmail spread by Gbaboyor, noting that the alleged secret document and others were posted by embattled Henry Okah on his Facebook page in 2020.
The groups claim that Gbaboyor is attacking Otuaro because Otuaro refused to allow himself to be manipulated by Gbaboyor and his boss. They urged the public to disregard the lies spread by the desperate and hungry beggar.
Furthermore, an investigation by journalists into the alleged classified document revealed that Henry Okah, a member of the said Meinbutu Voice Facebook page, posted the alleged classified document in 2020, long before Otuaro’s appointment as the administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.
The groups concluded that Gbaboyor’s accusations are baseless, unfounded, mischievous, barbaric, null, and void. They added that Gbaboyor has displayed ignorance in public and that his information lacks facts, urging the public not to take him seriously.
They further pointed out that a document that has been in the public domain for four years can no longer be classified, emphasizing that only individuals like Gbaboyor would make unnecessary and attention-seeking noise about it.
The coalition also asserted that Tompolo was the face of the Niger Delta Emancipation Struggle, and only ignorant people like Gbaboyor would speak ill of him to seek cheap attention.
They demanded that Mr. Ben Ebikabowei, alias Boyloaf, call Gbaboyor to order, warning that they might be forced to teach him a lesson if he continues. They added that his stupidity would soon become apparent once they deal with him.
The Niger Delta coalition groups acknowledged that Dr. Dennis Brutu Otuaro’s reforms as the administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme were felt in every nook and cranny of the Niger Delta region, stating that only enemies whose manipulative tendencies were curtailed were upset with him.
The joint statement reads, “Nobody has the monopoly to abuse and defame others and go scot-free. The law is explicit, and we believe Gbaboyor knows the punishment for what he is doing. In case he is ignorant of the law, he should be wary and begin to refrain because ignorance is not an excuse under the law.
“We want to state unequivocally that abusing and blackmailing people because someone turns down your selfish demands and manipulative moves are not traits among the Ijaw people.
“We watched a video where the deranged Gbaboyor lamented that he asked Dr. Dennis Brutu Otuaro for a favor—though he refused to disclose the nature of the favor—and it was turned down. It is clear from the video that Gbaboyor’s clandestine activities stemmed from his request for undue favor being denied.
“It is shameful that Gbaboyor could stoop so low as to blackmail and defame people for selfish reasons. We are truly disappointed in him. He is a person with a poor mindset, parading like a saint in broad daylight. We urge the public to verify our information on Henry Okah’s Facebook account. The document is still there to this day.
“We appeal to Dr. Dennis Brutu Otuaro not to be deterred by characters like Gbaboyor, who speaks only for his stomach. Please continue your good work; we see your reforms and innovative leadership as PAP administrator. We are solidly behind you to support and propagate your good works,” they stated.
