By FOUNDER of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL), the Federal Government-contracted private oil pipeline surveillance outfit, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo, has cried out, accusing the Nigerian Navy of sabotaging efforts to stamp out crude oil theft in the Niger Delta.
The Nigerian Navy spokesman, Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu, has yet to comment on the issue as of the time of filing this report.
Tompolo reiterated that some Naval personnel, a few days ago, launched an attack on some operatives of TSSNL who were intercepting some suspected oil thieves along the Port-Harcourt creeks.
Speaking on Monday at Oporoza, headquarters of Gbaramatu kingdom in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State during a work visit of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) national executive, led by its President, Afam Josiah Osigwe (SAN), to the oil bearing community, Tompolo expressed worries that efforts to checkmate crude oil theft are being sabotaged in some quarters.
The Tantita chairman, therefore, called for more synergy between the Navy and other security outfits, if the effort to root out crude oil theft must be worthwhile.
“Some few days back, our people intercepted a vessel in Port-Harcourt, where the Nigerian Navy was shooting at Tantita Security, with Police, DSS and Civil Defence.
“We want to implore and beg. You (NBA) have a duty to play in this present situation because if we are not careful in this country, maybe we would not have money to do any reasonable thing.
“All of us here know that Nigeria is facing hardship. A bag of rice is over N100,000.
“We are going to do our part locally. But you (NBA) are there at the top. If we arrest today, lawyers would stand on the other side and this side.
“What I want to appeal is that you need to help us. If somebody is coming to load a vessel of 500 metric tonnes, in this community, nobody has that capacity.
“The person comes from either Lagos or neighbouring countries or Abuja. The man here would be a water boy for the people to the head. That is the one we would arrest,” he noted.
Speaking further, Tompolo disclosed that in the course of the surveillance operations to round up crude oil barons, Tantita had stepped on big toes and had become taurget of revenge mission.
He said, “While doing this work, we have stepped on a lot of toes of people over there in Lagos and Abuja. We have stepped on a lot of toes.
“As I am here, after my court cases, I cannot travel anywhere because of me and the key people (barons) fighting this battle.
“If I want to travel to Abuja to visit you, I have to go with Security. If I have two three security personnel, none of them is happy with Tompolo and they are now even working with people that are top players of oil theft.
“Most times you see that Tantita Security now has confrontations with the Navy and every well-meaning Nigerian knows the function of Nigerian Navy and Tantita now, but nobody wants to come out to face the truth.
“If we happen to arrest anybody now, we would get a lawyer from Abuja, Lagos or Ibadan to do your case very well”.
Speaking earlier during a courtesy call on the Pere of Gbaramatu kingdom, His Majesty, Oboro-Gbaraun II, Aketekpe, Akadagba in his royal palace, the NBA President expressed delight over the recent announcement from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPCL) that oil production has risen to 1.8 million barrels per day with a promise to increase it up to 2 million bpd by the end of this year.
“If the oil production keeps going up, it will benefit all of us and the government will be able to provide for the needs of the people”, he stated.
As a result, the NBA President maintained that “there is need to stem the theft of our commonwealth from the oil that some people are stealing.
“The fight against oil theft is more desirable now, more than ever before, because Nigeria is borrowing so much to fund its budget and cannot meet the needs of Nigeria”, he emphasised.
While lamenting over continuous borrowing by the Federal Government to fund the budget, the NBA President maintained that “if the leakages in oil production are well plucked, it will go a long way in boosting the country’s earnings”.
The NBA team also noted with concern that oil exploration activities in the Niger Delta have adversely impacted on the region “as manifested in the environmental pollution and environmental degradation of most of the host communities”.
NBA national executive arriving Oporoza
On this, the NBA President said, “We resolved to make an on-the-scene assessment of the oil bearing communities to see the hardship they are suffering.
“The NBA is interested in the issues of oil theft coupled with the effects of environmental pollution and environmental degradation as a result of oil exploration in the host communities.
“The irony is that these communities that bear the responsibilities of the nation’s oil wealth do not enjoy the wealth as most of the cities in the country.
“Our branches in the oil bearing areas should be interested in the issues of oil theft which goes on in many communities because it has affected our national economy and also impacted negatively on the ability of the government to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.
“It has also impacted negatively on our foreign reserves. It has adversely affected Nigeria’s ability to meet its minimum OPEC quarter for oil production.
“We felt that the matter should be taken seriously. We know that Gbaramatu Kingdom plays host to a company called Tantita Security Services which has been working with the NNPCL and the Office of the National Security Adviser.
“It has done a lot of good work on the issue of pipeline protection and the issue of oil theft.
NBA national executive arriving Oporoza on a luxury speed boat
“We thought that it would be a good place for us to come, first to get first-hand knowledge of how this battle has been fought, and what the challenges are, and how the fight has helped improve the Nigerian economic standing.”
The traditional ruler of Gbaramatu kingdom, while responding, called for the government’s infrastructural development of the host communities, noting that “presently, the government is far from us.”
“The government should come closer to us and do the needful for us to reciprocate”, the monarch pleaded.
He specifically made case for the establishment of a Magistrate Court in Gbaramatu Kingdom just as he also appealed to the leadership of the NBA to mentor members of the Gbaramatu Lawyers Association in order to further brighten their career prospects in the legal profession, a demand to which the NBA President pledged to give a positive reaction.
The Gbaramatu king said, “We need people like this to come to see things for yourselves. This is Gbaramatu. Before now, people were making all sorts of allegations against Gbaramatu Kingdom, but now you are here.
“We always tell people, if you are coming to Gbaramatu Kingdom, don’t be afraid.
“We are working for the peace of Niger Delta, extending hands of fellowship to other kingdoms. Ijaw people stand for the truth. We are a peaceful people.
“Today, I want to tell our lawmakers that the judge in the court should conclude in the court. But as the chairman here, I want to extend this to you, I know I’m not a lawyer or lawmaker, but before concluding your judgements, if it is needed, peradventure, a land case, you should come to see for yourself before the final judgement.
“Most times, some judgements, because you don’t go to see for yourself, make a lot of findings, if I may say, some judgements are not orderly.
“This is Gbaramatu Kingdom, we stand for peace, we stand to extend the hands of fellowship, we work for the peace of Niger Delta, and this is how we find ourselves.
“Things you are seeing, I want to let you know that the presence of the government is even far from us. All these you are seeing is from the efforts of our elites, our big boys.
“So we are also calling on the government, we produce the oil, from our territory we feed the coffers of this country. So, they should draw closer to us, do the needful for us to also reciprocate.”
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