No fewer than four persons reportedly died in a boat mishap on their way to the first day of a week-long burial ceremony of Chief Thomas Ekpemupolo, father of Government Ekpemupolo a.k.a Tompolo, wanted ex-militant leader.
Sources said that the four victims had barely taken off from the Miller Waterside, NPA Old Gate, Warri on their way to Kurutie, venue for the funeral rites in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta state when the speedboat they boarded capsized.
A Gbaramatu community leader who pleaded anonymity told journalists that “We were already at the funeral celebrating Chief Thomas Ekpemupolo when we got news of the sad accident. Initially, we were told only two persons died.
“Further details later revealed that about four persons, three females including one Faith (surname withheld) from Ogulagha, another female from Kurutie and a man apparently from the Northern part of the country, lost their lives in the mishap”.
The source added that “the Hausa man, I gathered was actually not an invited dignitary, but someone who was conveying some wares to sell at the funeral ground.”
The funeral rites continues today (Sunday) with his interment at Okerenkoko, his final rest place where another wake keep was held Saturday in the weeklong funeral programme.
