He had gone after Tompolo who was then handling a surveillance contract under Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.The former warlord went underground for years, until his recent re-emergence.
During the meeting, Tompolo, who spoke to the gathering on the negative implications of destroying the environment, explained that while he would consult with camp leaders, he won’t beg anyone to stop the sabotage.
“All of us had carried arms before; so, nobody can threaten anyone with guns. But what I want to assure you is that there will be no escape route for anybody,” the ex-militant who spoke in pidgin, warned.Tompolo told his guests during the meeting which took place in Okerenkoko, Delta State, that he invited the community leaders because oil theft and bunkering had become a matter of concern to everybody.
“The reason I invited you here is on how to halt illegal bunkering. I am from Okerenkoko, the same way each of these community leaders is from a community. What we want to tell our mothers, fathers and all community leaders is that from today, after today’s meeting, we will work out the form that the operation will take. No more illegal bunkering.
“I won’t pretend; this is what we all survive on – even God knows. If the right thing was done, we wouldn’t have reached this level. As I speak, I cannot in all honesty tell you that I don’t know the people behind this.“God knows who’s behind it (oil theft), the government knows who’s behind it, but we just want to appeal, because the buyers and the sellers are deeply involved,” he stated.
He maintained that monies will be paid directly to employees and not through contractors, insisting that in the new dispensation, nobody will be short-changed.
Tompolo explained that it was not a case of Ijaw or Itsekiri or even Urhobo, stressing that everyone must come together to stop the menace.