“Private Prison Or House Arrest?” — Fresh Outcry As Ezekiel Daniel Alleges KFT Is Being Held By Tompolo

By Passman Akpos

A fresh controversy has erupted in the Niger Delta following claims by Apostle Ezekiel Daniel over the alleged detention of businessman and traditional leader Ekomieyefa Uduboh, popularly known as KFT, allegedly by High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, better known as Tompolo.

Daniel, who has been increasingly vocal about alleged human-rights abuses in Oporoza and surrounding communities, said KFT’s reported situation had brought renewed attention to what he described as a wider pattern of unlawful detention and mistreatment.

However, the allegations surrounding KFT’s detention have not been independently established, and neither Tompolo nor KFT was immediately available in the material reviewed for this report to publicly confirm or deny the claims.

“You Have Been Assisting Tompolo — Now You Are Locked Up”

Reacting to the controversy, Daniel said KFT should now understand the experience of people allegedly detained in Oporoza.

“To Ekomieyefa Uduboh, also known as KFT, how do you feel now? You have been assisting Tompolo in kidnapping and locking up our youths in Oporoza. But now, according to the claims surrounding your situation, Tompolo has allegedly locked you up for almost one week,” Daniel said.

He argued that describing the situation as house arrest or by another name would not change its fundamental character if a person was being prevented from leaving against his will.

“If you want to call it house arrest, or give it any other name, locked up is locked up,” he said.

Daniel further alleged that KFT had previously been involved in the detention of young people in Oporoza and made disturbing claims about how some detainees were allegedly treated.

He alleged that some youths were stripped, had fuel poured on their bodies, pepper applied to them and were subsequently flogged.

Those allegations have not been independently verified by Tarakiri Voice and should not be treated as established facts.

“I Tried To Resolve It Internally”

Daniel said his decision to speak publicly did not come immediately because of his longstanding relationship with Tompolo.

“You all know my relationship with Tompolo over the years. We have passed through a lot together—the good, the bad and the ugly. So none of you could simply expect me to come out immediately,” he said.

According to him, he had previously attempted to use internal channels to address what he considered unacceptable conduct.

“I used all kinds of internal means to try to put a stop to what I consider barbaric actions,” Daniel said.

He described himself as a “catalyst” whose recent interventions had helped draw national attention to allegations concerning Oporoza.

“A catalyst is a substance that speeds up the rate of a chemical reaction,” he said, arguing that his interventions had accelerated public scrutiny of the allegations.

Public Reaction: “What Goes Around Comes Around”

The allegations have triggered a wave of reactions online, with some commenters portraying KFT’s reported detention as a case of “karma” because of allegations previously made against him.

One commenter wrote: “What goes around comes around. KFT is finally tasting his own medicine.”

Another said: “Today’s enforcer is tomorrow’s prisoner.”

Others, however, warned against celebrating the alleged detention.

One commenter argued: “No matter what KFT did, Tompolo has zero legal right to run a private prison in Oporoza.”

Another said that even if allegations of financial wrongdoing against KFT were true, the matter should be handled by law-enforcement agencies and the courts.

“If KFT stole the rumored billions, let the court decide his fate, not Tompolo,” the commenter said.

A separate reaction stated: “Even if billions were stolen by KFT, hand the suspect over to the Police or EFCC, not a private cell.”

The contrasting reactions underscore the central issue raised by the controversy: whether allegations of wrongdoing by any individual can justify detention outside the established legal process.

Who Is KFT?

Uduboh Ekomieyefa is a businessman whose name has appeared in Nigerian corporate and entertainment records for years.

THISDAY identified him in 2017 as Group Managing Director of KFT Events, reporting his involvement in entertainment and events management.

Public corporate records also list Ekomieyefa Uduboh as a director of K.F.T Uduboh Nigeria Limited, a company incorporated in 2009, while records for KFT Events & Rentals Limited similarly identify him as a director.

More recently, the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs publicly identified Chief Ekomieyefa Uduboh among stakeholders at a Presidential Amnesty Programme engagement in Warri.

His public association with prominent figures in Gbaramatu Kingdom, including Tompolo, has also been documented in reports and public appearances. However, descriptions of him as Tompolo’s “right-hand man” should be understood as a characterization rather than an established official position.

A Wider Niger Delta Controversy

The latest allegation comes amid an escalating public dispute over claims of unlawful detention, intimidation and alleged human-rights abuses involving Tompolo and associates.

Tompolo has also faced public criticism from activists, while supporters have rejected allegations against him. A Niger Delta group recently accused Apostle Ezekiel Daniel of attacking Tompolo because of disagreements over surveillance-contract interests, allegations Daniel has disputed.

The controversy has therefore developed into a broader battle of competing allegations, with calls from different sides for authorities to investigate claims rather than allowing accusations to be settled through public confrontation.

For now, the most serious question remains unanswered: Is Ekomieyefa Uduboh actually being unlawfully detained, and if so, by whom and under what legal authority?

Until independent evidence or an official investigation establishes the facts, the allegations should remain treated as allegations.

But Daniel’s intervention has ensured that the reported whereabouts and treatment of KFT are now under intensified public scrutiny.