By Ola ‘Kiya, Reporting
FOLLOWING the recent discovery of four kilometre-long illegal oil pipeline connected to the Forcados Terminal from the high sea for crude oil thieving, the Centre for Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Crusade (CHURAC) says Chief Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo deserves commendation for the feat.
Chairman Board of Trustees of CHURAC, Alaowei Cleric Esq., made the recommendation in a statement made available to Stonix News in Warri, Delta State.
He, however, averred that the discovery was not a surprise to the rights group as regards alleged perpetrators of the economic crime, saying it’s a public knowledge that cartels of local and international repute are culprits involved.
The statement read in full:
“Nigerians are awaken with consternation on the news of how NNPC Ltd discovered a 4 Kilometre-long illegal Oil Pipeline that is connected to the Forcados Terminal from the high sea where illegal bunkers siphon oil for an uninterrupted period of nine years.
“Some of us are not surprised anyway because we knew that the illegal bunkering activities are being carried out by cartels of local and international collaborators in high places, some of whom are even in public service.
“The man behind this success story of the NNPC Ltd is High Chief Government Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo.
“He has proven himself to have the capacity to curtail the crude oil theft in the Niger Delta region. This is just one of the many syndicates all over the region, milking our economy dry.
“We can’t dispute the NNPC’s claim that Nigeria is loosing about 600,000 barrels of crude oil per day to economic saboteurs.
“Our consolation however is that with Tompolo given this tasking contract to secure the oil pipelines, oil thieves are having bad day already.
“Within few weeks of taking action to curb the illegal business, NNPC Ltd has already recorded huge successes in the fight against crude oil thieft, a feat it could not achieve for the past 22 years according to the Company.
“Mele Kyari, NNPC Ltd, Group Chief Executive Officer’s (GCEO) revelation to the Senate Committees on Petroleum (Upstream and Downstream sectors) and Gas about the successes of the fight against crude oil thieft shows that Tompolo is equal to the task and he is living up to expectations.
“Nigerians need to support him to achieve the desired results. Now that Tompolo’s efforts are already yielding positive results to our dwindling Petro dollar economy, ethno-religious invectives can now see that NNPC Ltd never made mistake in copying the practices in Cambodia and Mexico by engaging private companies to secure the oil pipelines.
“The choice of Tompolo is just the perfect choice and his efforts are results oriented. NNPC Limited should continue to update Nigerians of the successes of Tompolo’s Company’s operations.
“Let the naysayers and ethnic irredentists know that Tompolo mean well for the Country. Of course the oil pipelines surveillance contract has been awarded to some other companies since 2016 but no positive result was recorded.
“Tompolo’s achievements in just few weeks of operations are a testimony that only a person who understands the nitty gritty of how the illegal oil business is being run can successfully break into the cartels of the oil barons.
“We are happy that the man has bursted into the syndicates of the high and mighty in the festering business.
“Hardly, we have such a patriotic Nigerian who will put his life on the line to secure the nation’s economic assets.
“Even the military top brass is being lukewarm in curbing these high level criminals some whom are even richer than Nigeria. Nigerians can now see Tompolo’s suicidal sacrifices for the country?”
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