Centre for Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Crusade (CHURAC) has commended High Chief Government Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo for the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited discovery of a 4 km long illegal oil pipeline that connects to the Forcados Terminal from the high sea. The pipeline has been used for nine years without interruption to siphon oil.
The group said some Nigerians were not shocked by the discovery because they were aware that cartels of local and foreign accomplices in high places, some of whom are even in the public service, were responsible for the illegal bunkering activities.
Alaowei Cleric, the chairman of CHURAC’s board of trustees, noted that Tompolo, the man responsible for the NNPC Limited’s success, has shown he is able to stop crude oil theft in the Niger Delta.
“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 losing about 600,000 barrels of crude oil per day to economic saboteurs. Our consolation, however, is that with Tompolo given the contract to secure the oil pipelines, oil thieves are already having a bad day,” he said.
He pointed out that NNPC Limited has achieved a feat it hasn’t been able to accomplish for the past 22 years, fighting crude oil theft, within few weeks of taking action to stop the illegal business.
While urging Nigerians to assist in the task in order to achieve the desired results, he claimed that Tompolo’s initiatives are already having a positive impact on the economy.
“Ethno-religious invectives can now see that NNPC Limited did not err by adopting the methods used in Cambodia and Mexico by hiring private companies to secure the oil pipelines. Tompolo is up to the task and is performing as expected,” he added.
“The choice of Tompolo, he said, is just the perfect choice, and his efforts are results oriented. NNPC Limited should continue to update Nigerians on the successes of Tompolo’s Company’s operations.
“Let the doubters and ethnic irredentists know that Tompolo only wants what is best for the nation. Although other companies have been given the oil pipeline surveillance contract since 2016, no successful outcomes have been noted.
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