Niger Delta Indigenous Movement For Radical Change, NDIMRC, has called on President Bola Tinubu to renew the pipelines Surveillance Contract of ex-war lord in the Niger Delta region, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, aka Tompolo, for the benefit of the nation.
It said no effort should be spared by the Federal Government in collaborating with the former militant leader in the protection of critical oil and gas infrastructure and securing permanent peace in the oil-rich Niger Delta region.
Saying that the oil from the Niger Delta region remains the main stay of the nation’s economy, the group in a statement, implored the President not to listen to mischief makers, who were not happy with the way Tompolo has handled the issue of oil bunkering in the region since he was awarded the pipelines surveillance contract by the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The group in the statement by its President, Nelly Emma, Secretary, John Sailor and Public Relations Officer, PRO, Stanley Mukoro, advised President Tinubu to go ahead to renew the pipelines surveillance contract to the repentant ex-war lord, saying he has helped the nation greatly since he was awarded the pipeline surveillance contract.
The group described Tompolo as a man of peace who wants the best always for the nation and the people, but being fought by unpatriotic elements in the country who are bent on crippling the nation’s economy through the stealing of crude oil.
They said: “We want to commend President Tinubu for the good things he is doing for the nation, but we want to appeal to him not to listen to mischief makers and enemies of our country who are waging unnecessary war against a patriotic Nigerian, Ekpemupolo, who has been able to put those stealing our oil under check.
“They are out fighting a good man for nothing, but for their selfish interests. These people are bent on crippling the economy at a time your government is looking for money to meet the needs of Nigerians and fix the country.
“These mischief makers and enemies of the nation have done everything possible to ensure that the pipeline surveillance contract to Tompolo is never renewed.
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“We want to let the President and the whole world to know that Tompolo means well for our nation and those kicking against the renewal of his pipeline Surveillance contract are out to frustrate the efforts of a selfless man who is opposed to the selfish interests of a few as against the general interests of the nation and the people,” they said.
According to them, “Our investigation revealed that some disgruntled ex-militants who are opposed to the contract awarded to Tompolo by former President Buhari are working hand in hand with those stealing our oil and they have vowed to ensure that the pipeline contract to Tompolo is not renewed.
“Mr President, these people do not mean well for your administration and the Nigerian people and we are pleading with you not to listen to them, but go ahead and renew the contract for Tompolo.
“ Those protesting against the renewal of the pipeline surveillance contract are beneficiaries of those stealing our crude oil. They should be investigated properly.
“As an independent oil monitoring group in the Niger Delta region, we are very pleased with the way and manner Tompolo has helped to beat oil bunkerers to their own game.
“Oil production has gone up and more money has been generated by the Federal Government, thanks to the relentless efforts of Tompolo, a peace advocate in the Niger Delta region and this is why we are very concerned about the renewal of his contract by the Federal Government in the interest of our dear nation.
“Chief Ekpemupolo is a very peaceful person and his contributions to the advancement of the Niger Delta Region cannot be over emphasized,” they stated.
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NDIMRC further said: “The people of the Niger Delta region in particular and Nigerians in general will continue to remain grateful to Chief Ekpemupolo, a wonderful son of the Niger Delta region for ensuring that those milking the nation dry through the stealing of our crude oil are checked properly and put on their toes.
“We are satisfied with his protection of critical oil and gas infrastructure, eradication of oil bunkering and increased generation of internal revenue and therefore the Federal Government should go ahead and renew his pipelines surveillance contract.”
While imploring the Federal Government to collaborate with Ekpemupolo in the area of securing permanent peace in the Niger Delta region and increasing oil production, NDIMRC said: “Let it be known, Mr President that some of these agitators and faceless stakeholders are being sponsored by the oil bunkerers and hiding under the cover of the APC.
“Our President should not give these so called agitators and their co-traveIlers that room to do whatever they want to do because they and their sponsors do not mean well for the nation.
“We want to implore the President that the NNPC and the National Security Adviser, NSA, should be encouraged to reveal the names of those behind illegal oil bunkering.
“When the current NSA was the Chairman of the EFCC, he did very well in the fight against corruption and so we are expecting him to support NNPC fully in fighting corruption in the oil sector for our production to go up and the common man will benefit greatly.
“Some of these agitators being sponsored by those stealing our crude oil are working directly with the NNPC to guide our pipelines and we are using this medium to call on NNPC that these agitators being used by oil bunkerers and have been paid heavily by their sponsors should be shown the way out because they and their sponsors are saboteurs who are doing everything possible to frustrate the process already put in place by Ekpemupolo,” NDIMRC added.
