A gunfight has broken out at the birthday lecture held in honour of Chief Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo.
The fight broke out between factional groups of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) , A festering internal power tussle is said to be the cause of the fracas, The violent marred the 46th birthday lecture of ex-militant leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo.
The lecture which held on Wednesday, April 12, came to an abrupt end, following a clash between factional groups of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC).
Various Ijaw interest groups and some of Tompolo’s associates had put the lecture together to celebrate the life of the former militant leader who went into hiding since 2015 and invited eminent personalities, including renowned professor of English Literature, Professor Godini Darah, to discuss peace in the Niger Delta.
The Nation reports that the atmosphere became charged when two leaders of the two factions of the IYC; the Eric Omare camp and the recently inaugurated Peretubo Oweilami camp met at the event.
Omare, who arrived at the event, had been seated with some of the executive council members of his camp before the leaders of the other faction arrived. The atmosphere turned violent when members of the Omare faction, who identified Oweilami and his entourage, tried to prevent him from entering the hall of the in Okuemi Hotels, Warri.
The clash escalated into a scuffle and later the use of all manners of weapons, including guns, axes and broken bottles. The order inside the hall was disrupted when some of the men involved in the fracas gained access and started charging at each other.
The riotous atmosphere, which had already scared several guests, was later quelled after about 40 minutes by the law enforcement agents on guard duty.
Although there were no casualties as at the time of filing this report, many of the escaping guests, including journalists and other participants, reported loss of their personal effects like mobile phones.
Reacting to the sad development, factional president of the IYC, Eric Omare, who said he was not sure the disturbance was occasioned by members of the Ijaw youth body, said he would inquire to know what really happened.
“I don’t have details of what transpired minutes ago, but if they (the invaders) happened to be IYC members, I apologise for that, but I need to confirm if indeed they were IYC members.
“If factional IYC members tried coming in to disrupt an event to honour Tompolo, it is condemnable because they ought to know that Tompolo represents peace and they ought to conduct themselves in orderly manner,” he said.
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