AFRICA

War Against Crude Oil Theft: NUJ To Honour Ex-MEND Leader Tompolo In February

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) is set to confer a national merit award on the former militant commander in the Niger Delta, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo.

National President of NUJ, Chief Chris Isiguzo made the disclosure weekend when he lead a team of journalists to Tompolo at his country home at Oporoza in Warri South West Local Government area of Delta State.

He said the honour is in recognition of Tompolo’s contributions to the prevailing peace in the Niger Delta and the successes achieved in the fight against crude oil theft and pipelines vandalism being spearheaded by the former leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND).

Chief Isiguzo, who was accompanied by the National Secretary of the union, Malam Shuaibu Usman Leman and some national officers as well as members of the Warri chapel, stated that the formal presentation of the award would take place during the forthcoming annual conference of the association in Abuja, in February.

Briefing the founder of Tantita Security Services Limited (TSSL) and some of his aides, the National President of NUJ disclosed that the leadership of the union arrived at the decision after profiling the activities of the former MEND leader and his involvement in the restoration of a lasting peace in the region.

He noted that Tompolo did not only contribute substantially to the relative peace in the oil-rich region but also for his relentless commitment to put an end to the menace of crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism and other sharp practices associated with exploration of crude oil and production as well as transportation of petroleum products.

Isiguzo observed that the former MEND leader, with his pipelines surveillance company, Tantita Security Services Limited (TSSL), had restored sanity on the nation’s waterways and kept at bay criminal elements and economic saboteurs that troubled the region.

He recalled some some successes recorded by Tantita led Tompolo in the manhunt for the oil theft cabals and illicit oil barons with the recent arrest of MT Kali, illegally siphoining crude oil from Pennington Oil field of the Anglo-Dutch energy giant, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) in Bayelsa State.

“With the patriotic zeal of TSSL in the pursuit of the oil thieves, the nation’s crude oil production has been on steady rise which is ultimately pushing the nation on the path of sustainable economic recovery and prosperity.

“Therefore NUJ aligned with other stakeholders within and outside the country, who have poured encomiums and accolades on TSSL and its operators for satisfactorily performing its oversight functions over the surveillance and protection of the nation’s economic assets.

“Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, the NUJ has profiled your activities and we are impressed by your patriotic zeal to ensure that Nigeria works again by your pursuit of those pilfering the nation’s oil wealth. The NUJ is glad to note that crude oil production is gradually on the rise and we can meet the OPEC quota with ease. With more revenue from additional crude oil production, we can have more money to run our money.”

“The NUJ also acknowledges the prevailing peace in the Niger Delta for which you have played pivotal roles. For these significant contributions you have made towards the nation’s growth and development, the NUJ has decided to honour you with one of our prestigious awards.”

“We are here to formally intimate you about the decision by the NUJ to accord you this well-deserved honour. To demonstrate the seriousness attached to this engagement, I have with me the National Secretary, Mr. Shuaibu Usman Leman as well other leaders of the NUJ from the state council and Warri chapter of the association .”

“We seize this opportunity to also formally invite you to the investiture and presentation of the awards during our national conference in Abuja in February,” Isiguzo added.

An elated Tompolo, who was accompanied by a former member of Bayelsa State House Assembly, representing Southern Ijaw Constituency 4, Chief Macdonald Igbadiwei and his Media Adviser, Mr. Paul Bebenimibo, who received the NUJ President and his team expressed gratitude to the NUJ for the honour accorded.

He said he was elated that a strategic stakeholders in the Nigerian project such as NUJ has recognised and appreciated his contributions to national development and singled him out for the award.

Tompolo assured the NUJ and Nigerians that the award would spur and trigger him to do more for the country adding that it would be the second award he would receive and cherished after that of the National Maritime University (NMU) which he initiated it’s establishment.

Those who accompanied the National President of the NUJ were the immediate past Chairman of Delta State Council, Comrade Michael Ikeogwu, a Senior Journalist, Asiwaju Sola Adebayo and Chairman of Warri Correspondents Chapel of NUJ, Mr. Okies Vicky-Okpomor, one of his predecessors and Vanguard’s correspondent, Chief Akpokona Omafuaire, ThisDay newspaper Senior Correspondent, Mr. Sylvester Idowu and Mr. Gbenga Ahmed of Independent Television (ITV), Benin-city, among others.

Sylvester Idowu in Warri