The King of Tompolo’s Community, Gbaramatu Kingdom in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, King Williams Ogoba Oboro Gbaraun III is in pains. The royal father cried out to Gen. Paul Boroh (retd.) when he visited him recently. The traditional ruler told his visitor that he has been under house arrest since soldiers invaded his kingdom searching for members of the Niger-Delta Avengers. Hear him: “I am in pain as the king and father of this kingdom. We have not been sleeping. This is the third time the military has invaded this community. The third time, they came in the midnight with bundles of soldiers to invade the community, beat up and harass the people. Some women are still looking for their children as we speak.”

“I was sitting here and I saw how the military men have been parading my children – tied them like animals and beat them up. In fact, I was touched. It’s just now that you came that the soldiers allowed us to switch on our light. I can’t even move out of this place. I am under house arrest. I can’t even walk to my injured chief to see him. All the chiefs in this community have run away. There’s no single chief in this place. I am lonely here. Before now, we were in pain, but this latest one has topped it.”

“If you want to beat up a child, you look at the father’s face. In my presence, they were beating up my children. They have taken over my kingdom, shooting everywhere. I have called them, but they won’t even come. I have been working with the government, but I don’t know why the government is treating me this way.”

“You don’t have to judge a whole clan by sitting in Abuja or Lagos. Come down and see, but they are judging us from Abuja and Lagos. They continue to embarrass us. I don’t know where my people are. They have looted the guesthouse. They have invaded everywhere and barricaded everywhere. I am not safe. We are not avengers, we are not militants, and we are not part of them. The government shouldn’t push us away.”