Recall that amid criticisms, President Muhammadu Buhari’s government awarded the contract to Tompolo to protect pipelines bearing petroleum products.
A pro-Biafra group, Biafra Nations League (BnL), has claimed that the former Niger Delta warlord and commander of the defunct Movement for Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND), Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, is lobbying to recruiting its members to guard the oil pipelines.
Recall that amid criticisms, President Muhammadu Buhari’s government awarded the contract to Tompolo to protect pipelines bearing petroleum products.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mele Kyari, had alleged that security agencies, churches, mosques and communities where pipelines pass through were involved in pipeline vandalism and theft of petroleum products in the Niger Delta.
Defending the government’s decision to award the pipeline surveillance contract to the former militant leader, Kyari had said “We need private contractors to man the right of way to these pipelines. So, we put up a framework for contractors to come and bid and they were selected through a tender process. And we believe we made the right decision."
Meanwhile, in a release, SaharaReporters gathered that Tompolo was lobbying the BnL group to send men to the Niger Delta for his recently obtained pipeline security contract.
The Bakassi Chapter leader of BnL, Ita Bassey, confirmed that a General of the Black Marine, a suspected group under BnL brought the report.
However, SaharaReporters learnt that the Pro-Biafra group turned down the offer as Bassey said that BnL had high respect and it would not be possible to be used by Tompolo to make money.
Recall that BnL is a pro-Biafra group fighting for the actualization of the Biafra Nation, but on a separate platform from the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), led by the detained Nnamdi Kanu.
But it was reportedly alleged that BnL and a Finland-based self-acclaimed member of IPOB, Simon Ekpa formed an alliance, as IPOB repeatedly denied that Ekpa was not its member.
In a confirmation of his alliance with BnL, Ekpa reacted to the BnL claim of Tompolo’s move to recruit its men, saying that the pro-Biafra group is only channelling its strength to getting Biafra freedom not pipeline security.
On his Twitter account on Wednesday, Ekpa wrote, “Tompolo approached Biafra Pro-Biafra group BNL for pipeline security. Tell him ka Chineke Kpo ya oku (tell him that God should burn him with fire).
“Our strength is channeled to getting Biafra freedom not pipeline security. Tell him when we will come he will hear us.
“This time around, anyone who thinks otherwise will be treated otherwise. We are coming with power that no one has seen.
“Anyone who tries to stop Biafra from Exiting Nigeria in 2023, the power will take you. It will be like the days of Elijah.”