News
SocialMediaTrends: Reactions trail Tompolo’s new contract and the promised completion of 2nd Niger Bridge
Mixed reactions have been trailing the decision of the Nigerian Government to award a multi-million dollar contract to ex-Niger Delta militant, Government Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo.
Ripples Nigeria gathered the government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited had signed the deal with Tompolo to end illegal bunkering, illegal refining, and other forms of oil theft in the Niger Delta.
Of those who hailed the decision was a former warlord in the defunct Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND), Mr. Josiah Oyakongan, aka Commander Oyimi 1, who commended the government for doing the right thing.
Ripples Nigeria learnt that the decision was to utilize Tompolo’s ‘street knowledge’ to curb all illegal activities affecting NNPC operations making it run at a loss every month.
See how Nigerians are reacting:
The Nigerian Navy is complicit and engaged in the theft and facilitation of theft of Nigerian crude oil.
A serious President would have sacked the entire top brass of the Navy and replaced the entire armed forces stationed in the Niger Delta
But the FGN is asleep.
— Kalu Aja (@FinPlanKaluAja1) August 18, 2022
The FG has given the people of Niger Delta what they love most, Crumbs.
Chief Tompolo should set greed and selfishness aside and reject that offer, how can one come to your farm, harvest all your crops and give you just a basket to watch over the farm until next harvest! How?
— Okara mmadu Kiti ❤️🔥 (@Ulaga_Igwe) August 20, 2022
Am I against the people of Niger Delta taking THEIR CRUDE OIL and selling it in the black market?
Capital NO, in fact I believe our people are even dulling on the crude oil thingy.
Cut pipelines as much as you can, the Oil belongs to us and we don't owe no Adam an explanation.
— Ódùdù Ékpè 🦁 OBIdient (@Obong_Ekpe) August 20, 2022
Fulani Spent YEARS looking for Tompolo to KILL because Tompolo DEMANDED larger proceeds of OIL & GAS that belongs to his PEOPLE,
for HIS PEOPLE,
and NOT to Fulanis!
Now, Fulani PAYS Tompolo to TAKE CARE OF Fulani Oil & Gas.
Is this the so called
Niger Delta WISDOM ?@real_IpobDOS— Miles Opara (@miles_opara) August 20, 2022
People like Tompolo are the problem of the Niger delta. People who should be fighting for their autonomy over the oil are taking personal pay to keep quiet at the detriment of their region. https://t.co/5UbymCwEWt
— Hyke ☺ #FanOfFisayoSoyombo (@ekesunvictor) August 20, 2022
Tompolo get 4bn monthly from Federal Govt of Nigeria just for protecting pipelines and illegal bunkering in a country that has Navy, army, Air Force, police, civil defense and even DSS
— FRANCIS 🇳🇬🇳🇬👨🦯👨🦯 (@JAGADED) August 19, 2022
APC desperately trying to capture the South South by all means with this Tompolo deal.
— Deborah Gaji (@Deborahgaji) August 19, 2022
How Tompolo went from being on a NPF wanted list to winning a 4BN a month contract from the FGN needs to be studied .
— Zaddy Yo!!! (@zadde_yo) August 19, 2022
FG to give out N4 billion monthly to Tompolo, an indicted oil militant to provide maritime security. How? Why? How much is ASUU asking FG again? Misplaced priorities. Of course government officials have stakes in our oil wells but have none in education, all their kids are abroad
— Chlorpheniramine #EndSARS 🇳🇬 (@VictorIsrael_) August 19, 2022
Read Also: SocialMediaTrends: What Nigerians are saying about Tinubu’s visit to Obasanjo & Obi’s visit to Kuti
2nd Niger Bridge
The second Niger bridge is making headlines again as the Muhammadu Buhari-led government has said it is ready to deliver the project before Christmas.
The 1.6 km long road is furnished with other ancillary infrastructure including a 10.3 km highway.
The second Niger bridge will reduce the burden of heavy traffic on the other Niger bridge.
The project has lingered having been sanctioned by the previous administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.
See how Nigerians are reacting:
In 2018, Buhari created the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF) to build the N206bn 2nd-Niger Bridge. And in September 2018, construction began with PMB funding it through PIDF and $100m of
FG’s Abacha loot . Buhari disbursed N157bn from 2018-2021 for the bridge. pic.twitter.com/AuneJSx15f— ᴏnovwo-ᴏᴍᴀsᴏʀᴏ ᴀʟɪ ᴏᴠɪᴇ ™☤🇳🇬 (@OvieNews) August 19, 2022
The second Niger bridge is a technical knockout for the obidients and rusting PDP faithful. PMB Talk always walks his talk. Thank you, My President. I appreciate your kind gesture to my motherland. I wish you a peaceful retirement.
— OKEKE OLIVER (Don Olive) (@OKEKEOLIVER2) August 20, 2022
Let’s assume APC did only 2nd Niger Bridge for South East in 7 years.
Who can please list what PDP did for South East in 16 years?
— GENERAL OMOKO (@Maiomoko) August 20, 2022
I can commend President Buhari’s administration for the Second Niger Bridge and the Lagos-Ibadan train, but also criticise it for worsening insecurity and the state of the economy. I can comfortably hold competing thoughts in my head. I understand that that makes me intelligent.
— Dr Joe Abah (@DrJoeAbah) August 19, 2022
At least, no one will accuse Tinubu of being the owner of the Toll Gate on the Second Niger Bridge. Moreso, Lekki Toll Gate now has a twin protest ground. So, if you're looking for a place to block/burn in the future. Just jejely do it in your region.
— BoluTife(Emi L'okan) (@TtifeB) August 20, 2022
Wike completed 15 bridges. APC is still on Second Niger Bridge. Once u criticize President Muhammadu Buhari, Bashir will quickly post that uncompleted Bridge built with taxpayers monies & borrowings. They sunk Nigeria in 30yrs debt, building one bridge. A bridge they will toll.💔
— NEFERTITI (@firstladyship) August 18, 2022
If I talk now they'll say I'm dragging my people.
If it's not witchcraft, why would a group of people give credit to GEJ (who left office in 2015) for starting the construction of the 2nd Niger Bridge which they claimed was none existent in 2018?— MemyselfndI (@ukejeihuoma) August 20, 2022
Una attributed ESN/IPOB activities to Buhari but want to attribute 2nd Niger Bridge to Mungo Park.
Una no well
— GENERAL OMOKO (@Maiomoko) August 20, 2022
Nigeria(the Giant of Africa🤡) is celebrating second Niger Bridge, while Egyptian President Abdel Fatta El-Sisi is set to open a new city Mansoura city🥵 pic.twitter.com/WCorwabhlB
— UncLe SARM (@Uncle_sarm) August 20, 2022
…By Hamzat Rasheed
Join the conversation
Opinions
Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism
Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.
As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.
If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.
Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.