“Why Is FG Still Trusting Tompolo With Nigeria’s Pipelines?” Lawyer Ignites Fresh National Controversy Over Multi-Billion-Naira Contract
...Stakeholders Demand Decentralised Pipeline Security, Say Monopoly Breeds Opacity and Weak Accountability
By Passman Akpos
A fresh wave of controversy has erupted over the Federal Government’s pipeline surveillance programme after prominent legal practitioner Barrister Darlington Agomuo openly questioned the continued engagement of former Niger Delta militant leader Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, to protect Nigeria’s critical oil infrastructure.
The lawyer said he could not celebrate reported improvements in crude oil production or reductions in oil theft while, in his opinion, serious concerns about transparency, accountability and governance remain unresolved.
At the centre of the debate is the Federal Government’s decision to retain Tompolo’s organisation as a major pipeline surveillance contractor, a move Darlington described as inconsistent with the country’s commitment to accountability.
“Ask yourself, why is a fugitive manning your pipeline? Tompolo is a wanted person up to tomorrow,” Darlington said.
“The sentencing in absentia, and the federal government, in their own wisdom, will contract such a person to be manning your oil industry and the pipelines.”
He further alleged that Nigerians are not being given a complete picture of what is happening within the nation’s oil-producing communities.
“And you think that he will not go back to business, have you? They are not giving you full disclosure of what is going on there. It can never be. As long as you get such a person in that contract, he will not give you full disclosure,” he claimed.
Darlington also disputed official claims that crude oil theft has been substantially curtailed.
“Stealing is still going on. Between him and every other person involved, it is still going on up to tomorrow. Until we clean up that industry, we will never get full value of our oil industry. We will never get full value. So I don’t want to celebrate it.
“They are bringing, what are they bringing? There is no full disclosure.”
His comments have reignited public debate over whether Nigeria’s pipeline surveillance system should remain concentrated in the hands of a single dominant contractor or be decentralised to allow wider participation by qualified indigenous companies and host communities.
Several community leaders, youth organisations and stakeholders across the Niger Delta have echoed calls for the Federal Government to decentralise the surveillance contracts, arguing that doing so would improve transparency, strengthen accountability, increase competition and reduce the risks associated with concentrating significant operational responsibility in one organisation.
Some critics have also raised allegations regarding the conduct of individuals involved in pipeline surveillance operations, including claims of unlawful detention and other human rights violations. These allegations have not been established by any court, and Tompolo has previously denied wrongdoing.
Supporters of decentralisation argue that a broader, community-based surveillance framework would encourage greater oversight, improve respect for human rights and strengthen confidence in the protection of Nigeria’s oil infrastructure.
Background
Tompolo previously faced prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged ₦34 billion fraud involving Global West Vessel Specialist Limited and officials of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
An arrest warrant was issued after he failed to appear in court, and at one stage he was declared wanted by the EFCC.
However, on 15 July 2020, the Federal High Court in Lagos struck out and dismissed all 40 criminal charges after the Federal Government withdrew the case. Consequently, Tompolo is no longer facing those charges, and there are currently no outstanding criminal proceedings arising from that prosecution.
The latest remarks by Barrister Darlington have nevertheless reignited scrutiny of the Federal Government’s pipeline surveillance policy, with growing calls from some stakeholders for a comprehensive review of the contract structure to ensure greater transparency, accountability, competition and public confidence in the management of Nigeria’s petroleum assets.
