Group Alleges Plans By Ex-Militant Leader To Blackmail FG, NDDC Officials  

A group, Urhobo Youth Assembly has alleged plans by self-styled Ex-militant leader, Israel Akpodoro to blackmail the Federal Government as well as some top officials of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, over claims that the latter’s officials are involved in some corrupt practices.

The group claimed that the said Akpodoro, who is reportedly notorious for blackmailing top officials of government, is orchestrating a well coordinated plot to blackmail the All Progressive Congress (APC) and top management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

Specifically, the group alleged that the ex-militant leader had singled out NDDC’s Executive Director Project (EDP) Engr. Samuel Adeogbe over none existing corruption related allegations.

According to them, the said ex-militant leader had launched a campaign of calumny against the NDDC officials ostensibly because unlike other top government officials who fell for “his coordinated blackmail”, he (Adeogbe) had refused to be intimidated.

This was contained in a petition addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari, signed by Messer Jude Akpore, President, Frank Onogagamue, Secretary and Akpobaro Umukoro, Public Relations Officer and made available to BigPen Online on Tuesday.

The petitioners alleged that Akpodoro, whose stock in trade is blackmail and coordinated harassment of government appointees is spear heading the orchestrated campaign of calumny against the “harmless NDDC appointees simply because they refused to do his bidding” .

The petition read: “We have noted with pain that the said Israel Akpodoro has been going around blackmailing the Federal Government for not been serious with the anti-corruption crusade as he accused top/security officials of the presidential villa of regularly demanding money from him before they carry out their constitutional duties.

“It is also note worthy that of recent the said Israel Akpodoro has been harassing and intimidating top management staff of the Federal Government Interventionist agency, the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) especially its Executive Director Project (EDP) Engr. Samuel Adeogbe over none existing corruption related allegations, simply because unlike other top government officials who curved in to his coordinated blackmail he refused to be intimidated by the said Israel Akpodoro.

“We view this as a dangerous trend which is anti-Federal Government and anti-people’s development agenda and we therefore cannot be silent while such hideous crime is being perpetrated by selfish individual pretending to be a patriot”.

The group said it has series of evidence to prove that the said ex militant leader had blackmailed several persons into paying him huge sum of money, some of which had landed him in police net.

“We have enough evidence to show that the said Israel Akpodoro have blackmailed several notable Nigerians before now because of his personal desire to get rich without laboring for such wealth and we are very sure that in no distance time such Nigerians will come forward to testify against him just as the security agencies has so much information about his escapade and regular detention as all his information to them turned out to be false”.

The group claimed that the said Akpodoro was also blackmailing and dropping the name of the 2015 governorship candidate of the APC in Delta state, Olorogun O’tega Emerhon over some undisclosed happenings in NDDC.

The group therefore called on the Federal Government to be wary of the said ex-militant leader, who also posed as a chieftain of APC in Delta state so as not to cause more damage to the profile of the party.

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