Emma Amaize

 WARRI- OIL bunkerers in Delta State have declared  war on ex-militant leader,  Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, for allegedly stopping  them from engaging in oil bunkering.

Vanguard learnt that a top member of a bunkering syndicate in Gbaramatu, an Ijaw kingdom in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State stormed the Oporoza country home of Tompolo with a view to shooting him.

He was, however, overpowered by some ex-militants, who warned him on the futility of  fighting their master simply because the ex-militant leader was crusading against oil bunkering in the state.

Following the incident, Tompolo, has beefed up security around him with specific orders on when and how visitors should be allowed to see him.

A source close to Tompolo, who confirmed the botched attack said, “Since the government gave him a pipeline surveillance contract, he has been doing his best to ensure that oil bunkering is eradicated if  not reduced in the area, but the boys are stubborn”.

“He knows the people that are involved in the business and their sponsors, what happened is that he had gone round the different communities where the people are carrying out bunkering to tell them to stop the busines, as government is against it, but some of them feel that it is not in his place to disturb them.

“The fact is that apart from the economic implication of their activities, they do not even know the harm they are doing to the environment. However, they said they do not want to see Tompolo and should not come to the river again to disturb them in his own interest”, he added.

It was, however, gathered that the stand of the syndicate was that if Tompolo had been given a pipeline surveillance syndicate, he should collect his money and mind business, as anything short of that, will be open war against him.

The renewed battled against oil bunkerers  operating in the mangrove creeks of the region  by the Federal Government started, last month, when  the  Joint Task Force, codenamed Operation Restore Hope was rechristened Operation Pulo Shield and mandated to block oil leakages and draining of the nation’s economy.