Barely a week after an illegal 4-kilometre crude oil pipeline was discovered in Delta state, 58 illegal oil theft points have been bursted.
This was disclosed by ex-militant leader Government Ekpemupolo also known as Tompolo.
The discoveries come on the back of a N48 billion pipeline protection contract awarded to Tomopo by the federal government in August, to protect the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, NNPC oil assets in the Niger Delta.
Last week Tompolo accused top Nigerian security chiefs of involvement in the oil theft that analysts say cost the country over $70 millions daily.
According to a press released signed by the repentant militant on Sunday, he said close to 60 oil theft points have been discovered in Delta and Bayelsa states, stressing that the battle against crude oil banditry will be won with the cooperation of all the stakeholders in the region.
The statement said, “You know, we are doing this work together with security agencies. We are only providing intelligence for the security people to assist to do the work. So, everybody – both NNPC and others– we are working together in a very good spirit now.
“The major problem is that the aquatic life of the area is gone. We are doing everything within our powers together with the traditional rulers and everyone to see that – with the help of the Nigerian Navy, Army DSS, and everybody – we reduce this to the barest minimum so that our people can survive after this time.”
Recall that Senate President Ahmad Lawan said last Friday during the presentation of the 2023 Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly, that crude oil theft posed an existential threat to the country’s economic survival.
Over 700 thousands barrels of crude oil are stolen daily through illegal oil pipelines across the Niger Delta. Community leaders in the oil producing region and security agents have been fingered in the theft.
With the rate at which the federal government has stepped up the fight against oil thieves, not a few insist that the problem will soon be a thing of the past.
