Tompolo denies involvement in pipeline vandalism

Tompolo denies involvement in
pipeline vandalism

– Tompolo sends a message to President
Buhari denying his involvement in pipeline
vandalism
– He claims he is also not a member of the
Niger Delta Avengers group that has
promised to vandalise more pipelines
– He claimed APC members are behind
recent atrocities
Chief Government Ekpemupolo popularly
known as Tompolo has sent an open letter
to President Muhammadu Buhari denying his
involvement in the vandalism of oil and gas
pipelines in the Niger Delta region.
The former militant is wanted by the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
and has been arraigned by the anti-graft
agency in absentia . Shortly after he was
declared wanted, a group, Niger Delta
Avengers claimed responsibility of the
bombing of pipelines and vowed to continue
their operation until the lives of the people
in the region improved.
The vandals have been fingered as
Tompolo’s boys who have been accused of
committing the atrocities because their boss
was wanted by the EFCC.
Leadership reports that Tompolo, in an open
letter personally signed and titled “Am not
part of the Niger Delta Avengers Group”,
alleged that the oil pipeline repair servicing
companies sabotage the pipelines in order to
secure surveillance and repair contracts
from the Nigerian National Petroleum
Company (NNPC) due to deficiency in
handling the jobs.
He also claimed that members of the All
Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta and
Bayelsa states were unhappy with the
president over delay in political appointment
and were could have commited atrocities in
the region due to Buhari’s disappointment.




“It is very important to let Mr President and
the security agencies in the country know that
some members of the ruling party, particularly
from Bayelsa and Delta states, are not happy
with him ‘President Buhari’ because they have
not gotten anything from him after almost a
year since he assumed office by way of
appointments and contracts, therefore some of
them are involved in nefarious activities in the
oil and gas sector in order to be engaged in
pipeline surveillance.
“I am aware of how such persons are chasing
the Minister of Petroleum for State, Dr Ibe
Kachikwu around. It is my humble advice to
the federal government to thoroughly
investigate some of the servicing companies
engaged in repairing damaged pipelines as
sabotage on their own part is not ruled out.
Some of them may not even have the capacity
to carry out such repairs but must have
worked their way in to get the contract in
connivance with some people at the corridors
of power
and turn around to tender the security
situation in the Niger Delta as an excuse
because they are being paid ‘down time’
payment. “
“I have said on many occasions that I will not
resort to violence because of my case with the


Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) or wage war against the federal
government as my legal team is working
towards the resolution of the issue.”
Tompolo said that although he took part in
the establishment of the Movement for the
Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), the
membership and operations of the new
group is not known to him.
“My attention has been drawn to security
reports linking me to a new militant group, the
Niger Delta Avengers, who claimed
responsibility for the damaged Forcados 48-
Inch Export Pipeline some time ago, it is
imperative to state unequivocally that I do not
have a link with this new militant group. I am
not part of the group.”
Meanwhile, thee Nigerian army sent a strong
message to militants in the Niger Delta
region to desist from pipeline vandalism or
be treated like criminals.
The call was made following vows made by
the Niger Delta Avengers to continue to
bomb pipelines in the Niger Delta region.