Ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, has denied any link between him and the suspected Niger Delta Avengers members arrested by the DSS.
Amongst those arrested, the DSS, had, last Friday, said it arrested Torughedi, described as a close associate of Tompolo in Calabar, Cross River State.
According to the DSS, Tompolo has been identified by Torughedi, as the person that sent him to kill a serving army officer, Major M.B Yahaya.
The DSS also claimed Torughedi is a member of the Niger Delta Avengers.
However, Tompolo, through his Media Consultant, Paul Bebenimibo, said he never at any time recruited Torughedi, also known as Young Shall Grow, to assassinate Major Yahaya as alleged.
Bebenimibo confirmed that Torughedi was a former associate of Tompolo, he further alleged that Torughedi was being used by the security agency to get at Tompolo.
He said: “Apart from him, they are also using another ex-militant leader now. Like I said, I cannot tell you that Tompolo does not know Young Shall Grow. He definitely had met many of them with his position in the struggle. Some are his contemporaries, others are his boys, but that is not to say that he is in control of what they do.
“The first time they used him against Tompolo was shortly after ex-militants accepted amnesty in 2009. And if you know Tompolo, he is not the kind of person that goes for revenge, he leaves revenge for God. So I can tell you categorically that Tompolo did not send Selky to kill anybody.
“In 2006 when a Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, representative was kidnapped at Letugbene in Bayesla State and Tompolo facilitated his release, nine of his boys who went on the rescue mission were killed by soldiers, who opened fire on them when they were returning. Tompolo as their leader did not seek to revenge.
“Also in 2009 when soldiers were hunting for him, they destroyed Gbaramatu Kingdom, he did not revenge. During the latest invasion of Oporoza, nobody fired a single shot at the soldiers that ransacked the town. So, what is he avenging against Major Yahaya that he would send somebody to Kaduna to kill him?”