President Muhammadu Buhari’s government has awarded
Government Ekpemupolo, better known as Tompolo, a pipeline surveillance
contract.
The former militant leader was the Commander of the defunct
Movement for Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND).
The deal is described as a renewal as Tompolo got a similar
deal during the Goodluck Jonathan administration.
The government and the Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation (NNPC) Limited agreed to engage Tompolo to end illegal bunkering,
illegal refining and oil theft in Niger-Delta communities.
It is a reversal of the initial stance which saw the
cancellation of the contract months after President Buhari assumed office.
A source close to Tompolo told The Nation that the current
deal is worth over N4billion monthly.
“Before the cancellation of his contract, the arrangements
he put in place tackled illegal bunkering and increased production quota to
over two million barrels per day.
“But the new government cancelled the contract, declared him
wanted and he was later exonerated of all wrongdoings.
“They have realised the need to bring him back because
currently, the country is losing over 500,000 barrels per day to illegal
bunkering”, he said.
The new deal was brokered by the Minister of State for
Petroleum, Timipre Sylva and top NNPC top officials, including the Group
Executive Director, Upstream, Adokiye Tombomelye.
After the signing, Tompolo presided over a meeting in his
Oporoza home in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Delta State, on Wednesday.
In attendance were ex-presidents of Ijaw Youths Council
(IYC) Worldwide, Chris Ekiyor, Udengs Eradiri and Eric Omare
Others were priests of Egbesu, Ijaw religious organisation,
led by Apostle Bodmas Kemepadei; leaders of Niger Delta youth groups, heads of
cult groups.
The rest were former MEND commanders – Eris Paul, aka
General Oguboss; Pius Wareyal, aka General Pius; Joshua Macaiver, Pastor Reuben
Wilson, Young Shall Grow – and second phase “generals”.
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