...Says EFCC, ICPC Probe Is Next

A fierce internal feud has erupted within the ranks of the Niger Delta ex-militant network, as Senior Commander Commissioner Etorboimi Gobo launched a scathing attack on his former leader, Paul Eris, popularly known as “Ogunbos.”

Commissioner has publicly called on Ogunbos to cease spreading what he described as false narratives on social media, accusing him of hypocrisy, financial fraud, and abandoning the very men who fought alongside him.

The conflict flared after Ogunbos publicly claimed that another prominent ex-militant leader, High Chief Ebikabowei Victor-Ben, widely known as General Boyloaf, had failed to support his followers.

Commissioner firmly rejected these allegations, setting the record straight on Boyloaf’s contributions to the region and its former fighters.

According to Commissioner, Boyloaf has consistently paid allowances to all members of his camp, including those who never directly served under him. He routinely disburses amounts far exceeding the standard Presidential Amnesty Program (PAP) monthly stipend, with some receiving ₦200,000, ₦250,000, ₦300,000, and above, based on their respective categories.

He still continues to pay those who feel disgruntled and join the opposition to insult him. Despite this, he never stops their payments, and that is a true leader.

Commissioner expressed deep disappointment at Ogunbos’s hostility toward Boyloaf, reminding the public of a critical historical intervention that saved numerous lives.

He recounted how Boyloaf stepped in to broker peace when Ogunbos was locked in a deadly conflict with another camp leader, General Africa. Commissioner stated that without Boyloaf’s timely intervention during that perilous period, many fighters would have lost their lives. 

Furthermore, during the inception of the Amnesty deal, Boyloaf played a pivotal role in ensuring that individual camp leaders maintained full operational autonomy over their respective units without third-party interference.

However, Commissioner asserted that Ogunbos severely abused this privilege. Rather than managing his camp with integrity, Ogunbos is accused of engaging in systemic fraud, financial deprivation, and double standards.

The most damaging accusations center on the alleged diversion of official Amnesty funds meant for camp members. Commissioner revealed that Ogunbos has completely halted payments to his senior commanders, sub-commanders, and rank-and-file members, including fighters from his own home community of Peremabiri, since 2013. 

Commissioner detailed a fraud scheme in which Ogunbos allegedly opened parallel bank accounts using the names of his fighters, submitted these illicit details to the Presidential Amnesty Office, and successfully diverted the stipends directly into his own control. Commissioner branded this action a clear case of criminality, fraud, and breach of trust.

Addressing the long-standing arrears, Commissioner reminded Ogunbos that he remains heavily indebted to his men for over a decade of unpaid stipends, warning that he will be held accountable for every single dime. 

Commissioner cautioned his former leader against relying on his connections or attempts to influence the court system and the Amnesty office to suppress the truth.

Promising decisive action, Commissioner declared that the aggrieved commanders and fighters are preparing an alternative legal strategy that Ogunbos will not be able to evade. 

He said he and others would go through the ICPC and EFCC to investigate the camp’s finances, asserting that Ogunbos belongs in prison for allegedly stealing years of livelihood from his men, mismanaging their legitimate entitlements, and subjecting their families to years of severe hardship.