President Yar'Adua

A list of highly-placed Nigerians, including some retired generals, said to be backers of militants in the Niger Delta has been found, it was learnt yesterday.

The list was found when the Joint Task Force (JTF) operatives bombarded Camp 5 in search of its owner, Government Ekpomupolo a.k.a Tompolo. Tompolo has since been declared wanted.

The list is now with President Umar Yar’Adua, who has ordered the Defence Headquarters and other security agencies to probe the matter and other discoveries. The probe panel is said to be headed by the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshall Paul Dike.

A source in The Presidency told The Nation in Abuja yesterday that other incriminating documents were found in the camp.

The source said: "The President has received a comprehensive report on discoveries made by the JTF in the Niger Delta. The government has the names of some of their political backers, minutes of meetings held and details of bunkering money paid to prominent chiefs and politicians…

"The report also contains the names and addresses of foreign contacts and documents of arms purchase and names of Nigerian middle men...

"We have the dates and details of attacks on oil facilities and who was responsible and the insiders within the oil companies. Names of countries and details of how stolen crude oil is disposed and how some of the proceeds were shared as well as the local beneficiaries.

"Others are the details of meetings held between militants and politicians and minutes of what transpired. Several bank accounts in which ‘protection money’ was paid to the militants by top government officials in Niger Delta.

"The report as well has exposed attempts to acquire gun-ships, bombs, rocket-launchers from an East European country."

The President has directed the Military High Command to screen the list of the sponsors and investigate their complicity in fuelling the crisis in the Niger Delta.

Although other members of the Dike panel are yet unknown, it was gathered that all service chiefs and other security agencies would be in the team.

The source added: "After the conclusion of the probe, all the suspects will be arrested and be subjected to trial according to the law of the land.

"It is obvious from the list that some highly-placed Nigerians, including a few retired military officers, had been funding the militancy in the Niger Delta. But the game is up for them."

As at press time, it was learnt that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is tracking the accounts of the militant leaders, their backers and where ‘protection money’ paid by government officials in the Niger Delta was lodged.

"It is going to be a comprehensive probe in order to get to the roots of the crisis in the Niger Delta," the source added.

Source: The Nation