Headline

Oil Theft: Tompolo Uncovers More 42 Tapping Points In Delta, Bayelsa

Published

3 years ago

October 9, 2022

…How Tantita, Security Operatives Discovered Breaches On Pipelines – Tompolo

…Oil Bunkers Angry; Send Threat Messages To Tompolo, Tantita Operatives

Ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, and security officials have uncovered 42 more tapping points by crude oil bunkers on the nation’s oil pipelines in two states – Delta and Bayelsa, bringing the total to 58, on Sunday.

The breakthrough came as bunkers, angry with the leader of the defunct Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, for exposing their unlawful business, in the past few weeks, sent him and operatives of Tantita Security Services Limited, TSSL, threat messages.

Tantita also, last Thursday, seized a vessel suspected to belong to an oil syndicate, which came to load crude oil from an undisclosed location in Delta State.

However, Tompolo, who spoke to reporters, on Sunday, at Oporoza, the traditional headquarters of Gbaramatu kingdom, Warri South-West local government area, Delta state, dismissed the threat by the oil bunkers.

At the time the Chief of Defense Staff, General Lucky Irabor, and the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, NNPCL, Engr. Mele Kyari, visited Delta state, last Friday, Tantita reported the discovery of 16 tapping points on the trans-Forcados pipeline, which NNPCL had clamped.

Tompolo said, “As of today (Sunday), we have discovered over 58 points tapping points that oil bunkers have used in stealing crude oil from the nation’s pipelines in Delta and Bayelsa states.”

“In Delta, three major crude pipelines, including the trans-Escravos and Trans- Ramos lines have been tapped by oil bunkers.

“The tapping points that were traced on Friday were with the help of the Nigerian security, which was why inside the rain and everything, we could trace the lines

“We are doing the work together with the security agents; we are only providing intelligence for the security to assist to do the work. Therefore, everybody, NNPCL, and security agencies are working together in a very good spirit now.

“Now, the military has helped us to discover and stop the people from doing illegal activities, so we are going to work together and we do not want to go into details. The stealing had been going on for over eight to nine years,” he said.

On the threat messages to his boys, he asserted, “As for threat messages, that is normal, even this morning, they sent messages to me, but I think it is something we can handle.”

The ex-militant leader, who sounded optimistic they would soon curtail illegal oil bunkering, said, “With the way we are going now, we are getting cooperation from all the security agencies, both the ones in the state here and at the top. Therefore, by the grace of God, in no distant time, we will stop this largely.”

He said the company was not facing any major challenge, adding, “At a very point in time, we will always provide the intelligence and security people will come and do the work.”

On the barricading of creeks by oil bunkers with trees, he said: “That is the more reason we are involved, if we see any creek that is blocked with trees, we will bring in motor-saw people to cut it and we go inside.

“Where the security people cannot even go, we will first go there and ask them to follow because we cannot do anything with the security people. In addition, with the way all of them are actually cooperating, we will achieve the desired result.

“The communities are not posing a problem, it is the bunkers that offer resistance but even at that, like what I said before, this is our area, we are doing everything to ensure that we reduce oil bunkering to the barest minimum because the aquatic life in our area is almost gone.

“The crude oil that we recover from the creek, we are trying to get a barge where we will pump in the product, along the line, if any sink, we will not follow that because the terrain is bad. However, we will do everything within our power to stop further destruction and pollution,” he said.

Tompolo asserted: “There is no creek that anybody will pass in the region that I will not understand or the people working with me will not know. For now, we do not have any problem.

“Our major problem is the aquatic life of the people is gone and we are doing everything together with traditional rulers, security agencies, Department of State Services, DSS, and all that to ensure that we reduce it to the barest minimum so that our people can survive.”

Admitting that pipeline surveillance “is stressful,” he said there was no problem with the communities and he did not envisage that oil bunkers would not yield to his appeal to stop oil bunkering.

His words: “Before this time, I have been discussing with oil bunkers, whether from Rivers or Bayelsa, all over the place. Even many of them actually understand that oil bunkering is not a good thing for our environment.

“And that this the more reason we think there will not much problem for us to stop it, but their complaint is that there are no other means of survival.”

On the scarcity of kerosene, he said, “We are going to appeal to Federal Government and NNPCL to see what they can do about the local refinery, but you cannot fight illegality with illegality.”
VANGUARD

Related Topics:#Tompolo Bunkerers Oil theft

Up Next

UK Prime Minister, Truss, Sacks Chancellor

Don't Miss

New York City Mayor Declares State Of Emergency Over Migrant Influx

Comments

Headline

US Congressman Meets Benue Leaders On ‘Genocidal Campaign By Fulani’

Published

4 hours ago

December 9, 2025

Editor

United States Congressman, Rep Riley Moore, has held talks with traditional and religious leaders in Benue State concerning what he described as an ongoing genocidal campaign by Fulani in the state.

Moore and other delegates from the US government are in Nigeria to meet with Christians who have suffered persecution and attacks by Jihadists.

He has so far met with Catholic Bishop Wilfred Anagbe of the Diocese of Makurdi, Catholic Bishop Isaac Duru of Katsina-Ala Diocese, and his Royal Highness, Tor Tiv James Ioruza.

Moore, who represents West Virginia’s 2nd District in Congress, said they discussed “the ongoing genocidal campaign by the Fulani in Benue State.”

“Our brothers and sisters in Christ will no longer suffer in silence. The United States has heard your cries, and we are working diligently toward solutions,” he added.

The meeting took place five months after about 200 residents of Yelwata in Benue State were massacred by terrorists, with many injured and displaced.

Moore has been acting on directives issued by US President Donald Trump, who threatened months back that if the government does not stop the killing of Christians in Nigeria, the US might have to invade the country “guns-a-blazing”.

Trump’s words have led to a cooperation between Nigeria and the US, which Moore confirmed, saying that “there is an openness and willingness on the part of the Nigerian government to work with the United States to tackle these critical issues. Now, that openness has to translate to concrete action.”

He went on to thank President Bola Tinubu for rescuing the 100 Catholic school children abducted recently by terrorists. He described the action as a positive demonstration of the government’s growing response to the security situation, adding that Nigeria has shown its commitment to the emergency declaration issued by President Tinubu.

“The US’ sense of urgency on our concerns was positively received. I feel that a cooperative security framework is within sight. The now-established joint task force between Nigeria and the US is a great example,” Moore added.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, has expressed confidence that the engagement with the US delegation in Nigeria “will deepen trust, collaboration, and shared commitment to peace and security.”

The delegation included Rep Mario Díaz-Balart, Rep Norma Torres, Rep Scott Franklin, Rep Juan Ciscomani, and Rep Riley M. Moore.

It is not yet clear whether the delegation will also visit other states in the Middle Belt region of Nigeria, which are also facing terrorist attacks.

Headline

Africa Coups: 10 In Five Years

Published

1 day ago

December 7, 2025

Editor

A military coup attempt in Benin Sunday adds to a list of such incidents on the turbulent African continent.
A group of soldiers announced that they had ousted President Patrice Talon, although his entourage said he was safe and the army was regaining control.

Here is a recap of the 10 successful coups in Africa in the last five years:

Mali

Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita is overthrown by five army colonels in August 2020.

In May 2021, the Malian military takes over from the civilian leaders of an interim government.
Colonel Assimi Goita, who led both coups, is sworn in as transitional president.

After promising to hold elections in February 2024, the military puts them off indefinitely, pointing to the jihadist violence plaguing the country.

In July 2025, Goita approves a law granting himself a five-year presidential mandate, renewable without election.
In September jihadists launch a fuel blockade, weakening the ruling junta.

Guinea

On September 5, 2021, mutinous troops led by lieutenant-colonel Mamady Doumbouya take over in Guinea, arresting President Alpha Conde.

Doumbouya in early November 2025 submits his candidacy ahead of December 28 elections that are meant to restore constitutional order.

Sudan

After weeks of tension between the military and civilian leaders who had shared power since the ousting of dictator Omar al-Bashir, the armed forces led by army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan stage a new coup on October 25, 2021.

Since April 2023 war has raged between the regular armed forces led by Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, led by his former deputy Mohammed Hamdan Daglo.

The conflict has so far killed tens of thousands of people and created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso underwent two military coups in 2022.

In January that year mutinous soldiers led by Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba arrest President Roch Marc Christian Kabore.

Then in September army officers announce they have dismissed Damiba. Captain Ibrahim Traore becomes transitional president, but elections he promised do not materialise. In May 2024 the junta authorises him to stay for another five years in a country wracked by Islamist violence.

Niger

On July 26, 2023, members of the presidential guard overthrow Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum, elected in 2021. General Abdourahamane Tiani, head of the presidential guard, takes over.

In March 2025, the junta extends by at least five years its transitional leadership of the country which is plagued by jihadist violence.

Gabon

In Gabon, ruled for 55 years by the Bongo family, army officers on August 30, 2023 overthrow President Ali Bongo Ondimba, less than an hour after he is declared winner of an election the opposition says was fraudulent.
General Brice Oligui Nguema is named transitional president.

In April 2025 he is elected president with 94.85 percent of the vote. He is sworn in on the basis of a new constitution approved by referendum during the transition.

Madagascar

In October 2025, the military ousts Madagascar’s president Andry Rajoelina and takes power following weeks of “Gen Z” anti-government protests.

Army colonel Michael Randrianirina is sworn in as Madagascar’s new president, promising elections within 18 to 24 months.

Guinea-Bissau

In November 2025, military officers in Guinea-Bissau declare they have “total control” of the coup-prone west African country, closing its borders and suspending its electoral process three days after general elections.

The military says a command “composed of all branches of the armed forces” is taking over the leadership of the country “until further notice”.

Headline

Benin Republic Presidency Breaks Silence On ‘Military Takeover’

Published

2 days ago

December 7, 2025

Editor

Benin Republic military
Military personnel in Benin on Sunday said they had ousted President Patrice Talon, but the Presidency said he was safe and the army was regaining control.

Talon, 67, a former businessman known as the “cotton king of Cotonou,” is due to hand over power in April next year after 10 years in office marked by strong economic growth and rising jihadist violence.

West Africa has seen several coups in recent years, including in Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea, and most recently Guinea-Bissau.

Early on Sunday, soldiers calling themselves the “Military Committee for Refoundation” (CMR) said on state television that they had met and decided that “Mr Patrice Talon is removed from office as president of the republic.”

The signal was cut later in the morning.

Shortly after the announcement, a source close to Talon told AFP the president was safe.

“This is a small group of people who only control the television. The regular army is regaining control. The city (Cotonou) and the country are completely secure,” they said.

“It’s just a matter of time before everything returns to normal. The clean-up is progressing well.”

A military source confirmed the situation was “under control” and said the coup plotters had not taken Talon’s residence or the presidential offices.

The French Embassy reported on X that “gunfire was reported at Camp Guezo” near the president’s official residence in the economic capital and urged French citizens to remain indoors.

Benin has a history of coups and attempted coups.

Talon, who came to power in 2016, is due to end his second term in 2026, the constitutional maximum.

The main opposition party has been excluded from the race to succeed him, leaving the ruling party to compete against a so-called “moderate” opposition.

Talon has been praised for driving economic development but is often accused of authoritarianism.

(AFP)