According to report, the Federal Government of Nigeria has renewed a multi-million dollar pipeline surveillance contract to an ex-militant leader and Commander of the defunct Movement for Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND), Government Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo.
As reported by The Nation, the Federal government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited signed the deal with Tompolo to curb illegal bunkering, illegal refining, and other forms of oil theft in Niger Delta region.
A source said Tompolo held a crucial stakeholders’ meeting in his house in the Gbaramatu Kingdom, Delta State recently. He said a mammoth crowd of stakeholders from the Niger Delta, especially Bayelsa State, attended the meeting and the number in attendance was over 5000.
The source stated further that the deal with Tompolo, who has great knowledge of the creeks is worth more than N4billion monthly. The source explained that the duties of the former MEND commander will be to monitor and oversee other surveillance contracts, contractors and their activities in the Niger Delta region.
He said it was similar to the role Tompolo played during the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan when Diezani Alison-Madueke was the Minister of Petroleum.
He said: “The government merely reviewed and restored his old contract. Before the cancellation of his contract, the arrangements he put in place tackled illegal bunkering and increased the 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.”
According to the source, the new deal was brokered by the Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva and some NNPC high-ranking officials including the Group Executive Director, Upstream, Adokiye Tombomelye. He said NNPC as a new profit-making venture was determined to end every illegal activity affecting its operations and making it run at a loss every month.
