Former creek warriors from six Niger-Delta states yesterday dissociated themselves from the renewed bombings of oil and gas installations in the region as recently experienced in Delta State.
They insisted that none of them including Chief Government Ekpemupolo, better known as Tompolo, was involved in the recent destruction of oil installations which has reduced electricity supply by over 600mw and has already led to the shutting down of Port Harcourt and Kaduna Refineries.
The attack on the pipelines began shortly after a high court issued a bench warrant on Tompolo after failing to appear to answer charges of money laundering and fraud leveled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali has already led a team of Defence chiefs to the site of the pipeline sabotage in Warri South, Delta state and vowed to deal with those behind the attacks.
However, the repentant Niger Delta warlords, under the aegis of the Leadership Peace and Cultural Development Initiative, LPCDI, blamed the act on unknown criminal elements bent on causing disaffection between the region and the Federal Government.
Making this denial in a statement signed by their leader, Chief Reuben Wilson, popularly known as General Pastor, the group said they were ready to partner with the government to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators.
According to him, “What happened was not carried out by ex-militants. The world should not label the ex-militants with evil deeds. These attacks were carried out by criminal elements.
“Some people claim Tompolo did it but he has come out to clear himself. Tompolo is a man known for his words. If he is involved in such things, he will come out to say it and give reasons. But he is not behind these recent attacks.”
Wilson, who noted that their investigations absolved Tompolo of the bombings, said no ex-militant leader would send anybody to blow pipelines in the region.
His words, “We call on the Federal Government to key in the ex-militant leaders into the protection and surveillance of oil pipelines in the region.
“The ex-militant leaders have important role to play with their knowledge of the creeks and water channels. Because we don’t carry arms, we expect that such security job will involve the security personnel.”
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